Passenger Falls from Gangway as Cruise Ship Breaks from Moorings in Strong Winds

Dramatic video from Italy shows a mooring post (or bollard) snapping off and hitting the side Norwegian Epic as the ship was pushed by strong winds while docked today.

This chaotic scene unfolded when the cruise ship broke free from its dock in Catania, injuring two passengers and delaying the ship’s departure.

According to reports on social media, the incident occurred just after 1 p.m. local time on May 30, 2025. Witnesses reported hearing loud cracks as the ship’s strong mooring lines were put under significant strain, with some concrete dock posts reportedly tearing from the ground (seen in the video below).

One Facebook user, Brian Koning, who was a passenger on the ship said, “Our ship is now out in the ocean and we are stuck between the entry building and the dock. We watched all of the lines holding the boat snap like twigs. They rescued passengers from the water and transported some to the hospital via ambulance. It’s going to be a loonnngggg afternoon and evening trying to get back onto the ship.”

Brian posted several pictures of the aftermath of the scene.

Two passengers were injured during the incident. Strong winds caused a female passenger who was on or near the gangway to fall into the water. Her husband immediately jumped in to rescue her.

Both individuals were quickly pulled from the water by port authorities and emergency responders. They were then transported by ambulance to a local hospital, where they received treatment for minor injuries.

Strong winds, with the Italian Meteorological Service having issued a warning for gusts up to 57 miles per hour, are believed to have played a significant role in the mooring failure.

While the exact cause is still under investigation, the combination of these winds and the ship’s movement likely overwhelmed the dock’s mooring points.

Following the incident, Norwegian Epic drifted in the harbor, leaving many passengers stranded on land. Boarding was delayed, finally beginning again around 7:15 p.m., about six hours after the gangway fell.

The 4,100 passenger Norwegian Epic is currently on a 10-night round-trip voyage from Civitavecchia (Rome). The ship remained in port well past its scheduled departure time, impacting its ongoing itinerary.