Cruise ship sent crashing into cargo vessel as hurricane-force winds hit Majorca

Several passengers on board a P&O cruise ship sustained minor injuries when severe stormy weather sent it smashing into a cargo vessel in Majorca.

Along with its neighbours Ibiza and Menorca, the island is being battered by hurricane-force winds and torrential rain.

Weather warnings for wind and stormy seas have been extended into Monday for the Balearics and parts of Catalonia in Spain’s north-east.

Thousands of people sailing on the P&O ship Britannia, which is based in Southampton, got a frighteningly close look at the extreme weather this morning.

Their vessel broke free from its moorings near the island’s shore at around 11am and collided with a smaller ship nearby, causing the walkway to fall into the sea.

According to BBC News, the captain informed passengers after the incident that ‘there’s no structural compromise, but deck five has sustained a small amount of damage’.

Britannia, which can hold 6,647 passengers and 1,350 crew, will remain in Palma while a technical assessment is completed.

One Welsh passenger told WalesOnline: ‘It was panic stations, I was bawling my eyes out.

‘We went out onto our balcony and could see debris in the ocean and all the damage to the side of the boat and our lifeboat.’

P&O said a small number of people had sustained minor injuries and were being cared for on board.

A spokesman for the company said: ‘On Sunday 27 August, P&O Cruises Britannia was involved in a weather-related incident while alongside in Palma de Mallorca.

‘A small number of individuals sustained minor injuries and are being cared for by the onboard medical centre.

‘To allow our technical teams to make an assessment, Britannia will remain alongside in Palma de Mallorca tonight with onboard entertainment and activities scheduled.’

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