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IN PICS: Ambassador Cruise Line ship collides with cargo ship in Cape Town
There were no reports of injuries and the Ambience cruise ship has been cleared to leave Cape Town.
The cruise ship, Ambience, collided with the cargo ship, Grey Fox in Cape Town Harbour on 5 April 2024. Picture: Gallo Images/Brenton Geach
A 240-metre ship, belonging to the UK’s Ambassador Cruise Line, collided with a container ship in the Port of Cape Town on Friday morning.
It is understood the accident happened as the 1 400-passenger vessel, named Ambience, attempted to berth for a scheduled visit after departing from Durban.
There were no reports of any injuries after the two vessels collided.
Strong winds and large waves
According to News24, Ambassador Cruise Line said strong winds and large waves may have played a part in the incident
“Despite the assistance of two tugs and a pilot, Ambience was unable to maintain position in strong, gusting winds and made contact with the container ship, which was already alongside. Both ships report only minor damage, and there is no water ingress or pollution.”
The Ambience is reportedly now safely docked at the cruise passenger terminal in the mother city, has been cleared, and is expected to depart the Cape Town harbour at 11pm.
Baltimore bridge tragedy
Last month, a major bridge in the US city of Baltimore collapsed after being struck by a container ship, sending multiple vehicles and people plunging into the frigid harbour below.
Dramatic footage showed a 300-metre vessel hitting the Francis Scott Key Bridge, bringing the steel-built structure crashing into the Patapsco River.
Lights from what appeared to be vehicles could be seen on the road surface as the bridge warped and crashed in sections, with the third tranche cantilevering upwards before it too tumbled into the water.
The accident left six people presumed dead. All six were members of a construction crew repairing potholes on the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Search continues for missing KZN skipper John Matambu after boat found wrecked
No terrorism
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said the incident was an “unthinkable tragedy,” adding: “We have to be thinking about the families and people impacted, folks who we have to try to find.”
The ship had passed two overseas inspections in 2023, the authority said, adding that a fault monitor gauge was fixed in June.
Officials stressed that there was no known connection to terrorism and that the preliminary investigation indicated an accident.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge is used by about 34 000 vehicles every day.
ALSO READ: Baltimore bridge response shifts to recovery of six missing
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