Norwegian Cruise Line ship detaches from pier in Sicily, passenger blown into water by strong winds. Watch video

A passenger aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship fell into the water after strong winds pushed the vessel away from the pier.

The incident occurred on May 30 in Catania, Sicily, as the passenger was attempting to disembark from the Norwegian Epic. A sudden gust of wind caused the ship to drift from the dock, leading the individual to fall into the sea.


“On duty crew members were able to immediately assist the guest from the water and see that they were evaluated by the medical team,” a spokesperson for the cruise line told USA Today.

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Passenger blown into water

A passenger aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship fell into the water after being knocked over by strong winds as the vessel was departing from the pier. The incident occurred last Friday while the Norwegian Epic was docked in Catania, Sicily, according to a spokesperson for the cruise line.

“Crew members on duty were able to quickly assist the guest from the water and ensured they were evaluated by the medical team,” Norwegian Cruise Line said in a statement provided to People. “It was determined the guest sustained only minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital for further examination and treatment.” At the time, wind gusts in the area were reported to reach up to 45 miles per hour, according to AccuWeather.

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Following the incident, the ship temporarily suspended all disembarkation activities and waited for weather conditions to improve before resuming.

Such cruise-related incidents are not uncommon, particularly during the busy summer months when families rush to begin their vacations as soon as school is out.

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The ship is currently on a 10-day excursion that started in Rome with stops in Italy, Greece, Malta and France, CruiseMapper.

The incident is hardly the first time wind has caused issues on cruise ships. In February 2024, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Magic ship struck a pier in Jamaica during high winds.

In November 2024, a Royal Caribbean ship suffered severe damage inside after bad weather rocked the vessel as it traveled from Barcelona to Miami. The “unexpected wind gust” caused the ship to jerk, sending glass bottles smashing and furniture toppling.

Last April, one ship with a Norwegian Cruise Line-sponsored tour abandoned an 80-year-old passenger in Africa after she suffered a stroke during an excursion. Another pair of elderly castaways were left stranded by the cruise line in Spain last May when the ship left without them.

In July, a family of nine was accidentally left behind in Alaska after crews miscounted during their check to ensure all the passengers had returned before departing.