A passenger has been killed and four more injured after a ‘rogue wave’ hit the Viking Polaris cruise ship on an Antarctica cruise.
The victim was a US woman who died after being struck by shattered glass during the storm on Tuesday (November 29), say media reports.
The cruise line said in a statement: “There was a rogue wave incident involving the Viking Polaris on November 29 at 22:40 local time, while the ship was sailing towards Ushuaia, Argentina.
“The ship sustained limited damage during the incident and arrived in port in Ushuaia without further incident the afternoon of November 30.
“It is with great sadness that we confirmed a guest passed away following the incident. We have notified the guest’s family and shared our deepest sympathies. We will continue to offer our full support to the family in the hours and days ahead.
“Four other guests sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the incident and were treated by the ship’s onboard doctor and medical staff.”
The cruise line is investigating the facts surrounding the incident, adding: “Our focus remains on the safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew, and we are working directly with them to arrange return travel.”
It has cancelled the ship’s next scheduled departure, the December 5-17 Antarctic Explorer itinerary.
Passengers and agents affected by the cancellation have been notified directly by Viking Customer Relations.
Built in 2022, the expedition cruise ship carries 378 guests and 256 crew.
The BBC reported that “rogue waves” can be double the size of surrounding waves. They often come unexpectedly from directions other than that of the prevailing wind.