by Ana Figueroa
Last updated: 2:45 PM ET, Wed April 11, 2018
MSC Armonia made a hard landing with a pier in Roatan, Honduras yesterday. Videos of the incident are receiving quite a bit of play on social media. Among other things, it shows panicked observers at a pier side restaurant yelling at each other to get out of the way.
According to published reports, tracking data showed the vessel was traveling at about 11.6 knots on approach. It slowed to 8.7 knots as it came to the pier.
Roatan Port Authorities issued this statement yesterday:
"Today, at approximately 8:00 am, the cruise ship MSC Armonia of the MSC Cruise Line Company collided to the pier while attempting to dock at the Roatan cruise terminal impacting our dock. So far, the cause of the impact on the part of the ship is unknown.
Fortunately, there are no injuries or human losses reported. The measures given to the port infrastructure and the vessel are being evaluated by the experts in order to assist them as soon as possible."
And this morning, Travel Pulse received the following update from MSC Cruises:
"At 09:00 AM local time on April 10, MSC Armonia arrived in the port of Isla Roatan, Honduras. While maneuvering alongside, for reasons that are currently still being duly investigated, the ship deviated from her course and grazed the end of the pier.
There was never any risk for guests or crew on board. There was also no impact for the environment. In fact, while there was a slight delay for our guests to disembark, all who were scheduled to go ashore on excursions and other activities disembarked as planned.
As to the ship, the damage was minor. Following repairs, she has also since been cleared by Honduran Port State Control authorities to continue her journey.
MSC Armonia left the port at approximately 3:30 AM local time today, which would bring her into Belize, her next scheduled port of call, by approximately 11 AM."
MSC Armonia is currently on an 11 night round-trip Caribbean, Cuba and Antilles Cruise.
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