In a dramatic maritime incident, the MS Maud, a Norwegian cruise ship operated by HX, found itself at the mercy of a monstrous rogue wave that shattered its tranquility and knocked out its power, rendering it powerless to navigate.
This gripping tale of survival had passengers and crew on the edge of their seats as they faced the unpredictable forces of nature.
The MS Maud, a vessel owned by Norway’s Hurtigruten Group, was sailing in waters approximately 120 miles off Denmark’s west coast when the rogue wave struck with unrelenting force.
Elizabeth Lawrence, a passenger aboard the cruise, described the moment of impact as the ship’s windows shattered and the vessel tilted violently.
“The situation started with the ship’s horn sounding for an extremely long time, then the PA system came on, and we just heard scuffling and general moving around noises,” Lawrence said.
Then, passengers heard the alarm that meant they should head to their muster stations — the place on board where guests gather in case of an emergency.
“I only had to go down a nearby flight of stairs to get to my muster station in the main restaurant, but the ship was tilting pretty violently.
When it was all the way over to one side, you could just see a wall of water, no sky or anything,” she said.
Although they awaited updates for about 20 anxious minutes, crew members lent their assistance, helping passengers don their suits, offering reassurance, and distributing water and snacks to ease frayed nerves once the situation had stabilized.
A tow boat arrived to help the ship Thursday night.
Hurtigruten said in a statement that no serious injuries resulted from the rogue wave.
“The whole thing was very scary at the time, but I think everything was handled as well as possible, considering the circumstances,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence, despite the terrifying ordeal, expressed her willingness to cruise with HX in the future, commending the crew for their swift response and calm handling of the crisis.
While the experience was undoubtedly harrowing, it serves as a testament to the resilience of both passengers and crew when faced with the unpredictability of the open sea.