Hundreds of P&O Cruise Passengers Flown Home After Tanker Crash

Hundreds of passengers on a P&O cruise ship that crashed into an oil tanker during a storm in Spain have been flown home.

The flagship Britannia departed the Mediterranean island of Palma de Mallorca on Monday and will return to Southampton, the cruise line said in a statement. The 330-meter (1,083 feet) ship snapped its moorings in strong winds and collided with the tanker on Sunday.

Surveyors found one of the ship’s lifeboats sustained damage that can’t be repaired on board and the vessel is required by maritime regulation to return to Southampton, according to the statement. A small number of guests and crew have left the ship and will be flown to Southampton or their starting point, the cruise line said. About 320 guests will be flying home early.

The ship is expected to reach Southampton on Sept. 1, the company said.

Removing the damaged lifeboats.. cant see us sailing today, Gibraltar has been cancelled, and they’re trying to arrange flights for some passengers. pic.twitter.com/LgctLhlGRb
— Emma Peel MBE ☯️ (@madelynrogers) Aug. 28, 2023

A user on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, who appears to be aboard the Britannia, posted to say that damaged lifeboats were being removed and that flights were being arranged for some passengers.

The ship was carrying thousands of passengers, a small number of whom were injured by falls and flying debris during the storm, according to media reports.

The Britannia cost £473 million ($597 million) and can carry up to 3,647 passengers.