I encountered a storm on my way home from Gran Canaria: – It was very terrifying

A British cruise ship was caught in a storm in the Bay of Biscay in northern Spain on Saturday. Passengers now tell of terrifying hours during which they feared for their lives.

About 100 people were injured as a result of the storm, and five of them were taken to hospital.

The ship was on its way to Las Palmas in Gran Canaria when the storm suddenly hit. They turned around and were returning to the UK when the ship’s propulsion system activated in bad weather

This caused the ship to veer sharply to the left, before suddenly stopping completely.

Jean Bendal (75 years old) was on board the ship with her husband. She tells BBC They were in their room when they heard the captain’s voice over the public address system. They were asked to sit or lie down.

After the ship stopped, they were stuck for fifteen hours in a storm, according to Bendal.

– We hold on to dear life, she tells the channel and adds:

– It was very scary. I’m not one to get scared easily, but it was very dramatic.

She and her husband are good bones, so they’re lucky, she adds.

She adds: – I think many elderly people were very worried.

Passengers: Fearing for their lives

There were about 1,000 people on board the ship, which set sail on October 24 on a 14-day cruise around the Canary Islands. A passenger on the plane speaks BBC Many of them fear for their lives.

– People sent messages to their loved ones in case the boat capsized, the passenger tells the channel.

The cruise company Saga described most of the infections as “less serious.” The passenger considers this an insult.

– Many of the elderly people on board the ship had terrible broken bones and pelvis, and many of them had lacerations that had to be stitched up.

Another passenger told… The Independent That they “clung to the hard life.”

-The ship was safe

The so-called cruise ship The spirit of discovery It was built in 2019, The ship returned to Portsmouth on Monday evening, but Saga Cruises would not confirm whether any of those injured needed further medical care on land.

-The ship was safe at all times, but due to the storm some guests were injured. A company statement said that they received immediate health care on board the ship.