Rogue Waves Kill Cruise Passengers

26-foot waves kill two on cruise liner in the Mediterranean on Wednesday.

As many as 14 injuries and two passengers are dead after 26-foot waves crashed into a cruise ship off the coast of France on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old, Cypriot-owned Louis Majesty was sailing near the French Mediterranean port of Marseilles endured winds of more than 100km/h (60 mph) when the waves slammed the forward section, breaking 5 public area windows and killing two passengers. After being struck, the cruise liner turned around and headed back to the port in Barcelona. The two victims were both male; one German and the other Italian.

Sailing under a Maltese flag, Louis Majesty was embarking on a 12-night Western Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona, Spain to Genoa, Italy. The line has canceled the next sailing to repair the ship in Barcelona.

To read an article in the MarEx eNewsletter archives from 2004 regarding these dangerous rogue waves, click HERE.