On 2 June 2019 there was a cruise ship crash between the MSC Opera and Uniworld’s River Countess in Venice, Italy.
A number of people were injured, including Australians.
The small river boat was no match for the 13-deck cruise ship which can carry almost 3,000 people.
It appears investigations are underway into the cause of the cruise ship crash. Initial reports suggested that the collision was caused by the breakage of a cable used to link the MSC Opera to a tug boat. Other reports suggested the MSC Opera experienced engine failure and that this caused the the ship to veer out of control into the river boat.
Stacks Goudkamp urges any passengers injured during cruise travel to seek specialist legal advice as soon as possible. The laws relating to accidents that occur on cruises and at sea are complex. In many cases there are short deadlines for initiating a claim for compensation. Cruise ship passengers potentially have compensation rights against cruise operators for such accidents. Any injured passengers are therefore urged to act quickly to protect their rights.
For further information on cruise ship claims, enquiries can be made to Stacks Goudkamp’s Sydney office on 1800 251 800 or by submitting an online enquiry.