In the afternoon of May 21, 2011, the "Costa Deliziosa" caused major damage to Skoltegrunns Quay in Bergen just before departure. The cruise ship broke lose and took the two bollards and parts of the quay into the sea. 50 feet of the pier was destroyed. Walkways plunged into the sea, and 3 people had a narrow escape, but fortunately there was only material damage. As a precaution, the AHTS "Havila Venus", which was lying next to the ship, loosened the moorings in case the "Costa Deliziosa" would drift towards it. A tug and two smaller boats picked up the loose bollard with remains of the pier from the harbor. Also the rope in the water had to be removed before the cruise ship could dock again. Finally 100 passengers which had not yet boarded, could be taken on board, and the ship could set course towards Geiranger.
- No one was injured, either on board or ashore. However, there is major damage to Skoltegrunnskaien, the BA.no illuminated by Guard port of Bergen.
The 293 meters-long boat would continue to Geiranger.
DRAMA
Eyewitnesses told the BA.no that it all happened suddenly.
- Three people were on the gangway when the boat struggled. They got in the last minute run into the boat, "a båtinteressert man, who wishes to remain anonymous.
He thinks the wind might have been the reason it suddenly struggled.
It kept on going wrong when defiance loosened.
- It was as far as it hit a bus parked nearby. That was close, "he says.
The huge rope landed on the pier.
Port Captain John Yndestad have no good explanation for what has happened.
- We have not yet talked to the captain of the ship and do not know what actually happened. About 50 m of quay is gone, "he said.
The damaged area is roughly equivalent to a quay length, meaning that other cruise ships to moor longer on kaiutstikkeren forward bollard is repaired.
A bollard of this type can withstand 100 tons, according to the port captain.
- We shall be glad that it went beyond the crew and passengers.
Loud bang
Zeyan Xie, a Chinese tour guide, was a witness to the drama.
- There was a loud bang, which certainly came off the bollard came loose from the dock, "he said.
He says that the boat was off at 1700 and am glad that no one was hurt when it came loose. It will mainly be Chinese tourists on board and on the pier.
- It was probably the wind and currents that made it struggled, "said Xie to BA.no.
Along with the passengers Li Tian Pang and Cheng Shao Yun he stood on the dock when the incident happened.
- There was a man who had begun to go out on the gangway. He was pulled back by someone else when the ship was struggling, "said Xie.
Investigation
CEO Arthur Korda in European Cruise Service, which is the agent for the vessel and thus representing the company, said that the incident will be pretty.
- Most of the passengers had come aboard, but there were a couple hundred people who had been on an excursion and therefore had not come aboard yet, "said Korda to BA.
- Were there people on the gangway when the boat struggled?
- My information is that there was someone on the gangway when it happened, but it could have been someone who just came on board, "he said.
Eyewitnesses said that the gangway was hanging down along the side of the ship when it ran out from the pier.
DRO TO GEIRANGER
Anchor handling vessel Havila Venus, which was next door, loosened their moorings as the ship would be able to get out of "Costa Deliziosa" ran the road.
A tauebåt and two smaller boats picked up the loose bollard with remains of the pier from the harbor. Also had to rope in the water before the cruise ship could dock again.
So could finally rest of the passengers to board and the ship could set course for Geiranger.
Giant was built in 2007 and has a capacity of 2,800 passengers and a crew of 1100
The ship is registered in Genoa in Italy and is 92 000 gross tons.