Cruise Ship Collides with Pier in San Francisco, No Injuries Reported
Published July 6, 2023 11:39AM
Updated 12:34PM
SAN FRANCISCO – A cruise ship carrying thousands of travelers collided with Pier 27 in San Francisco early Thursday morning, causing a gash in its underside, according to Princess Cruises. Despite the unexpected contact, no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew members.
The cruise ship, named Ruby Princess, was sailing with 3,328 guests and 1,159 crew members when it struck the pier at 6:05 a.m. Passengers were allowed to disembark the ship as scheduled at 11:30 a.m. Many of them were unaware of the collision, with some only feeling a slight jolt.
Melinda Van Nort, a passenger on the Ruby Princess, described the experience as a “little nudge” that they had run into something. Photos shared by Paul Zasso showed black, circular smudges on the bottom of the ship, indicating the impact.
Princess Cruises spokeswoman Briana Latter stated that officials are currently assessing the extent of the damage to both the ship and the pier. The U.S. Coast Guard has launched two parallel investigations, one to determine the cause of the collision and another to ensure the ship’s safety for future voyages. The National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating the incident.
The San Francisco Bar Pilots, who were in charge of navigating the ship at the time of the collision, confirmed their cooperation with the ongoing investigations. It remains unclear if the incident will affect the ship’s scheduled departure to Alaska later in the day for a 10-day roundtrip.
Crews spent the day restocking the ship, and some passengers expressed confidence in its seaworthiness. Thang Le, a passenger, commented that the damage appeared manageable and could be fixed by a skilled welder in a couple of hours.
The Ruby Princess had just completed a 10-day journey to Alaska, departing from San Francisco on June 26.
What actions are being taken by Princess Cruises to assess the damage to the Ruby Princess cruise ship and Pier 27 following the collision?
Cruise Ship Collides with San Francisco Pier, No Injuries Reported
A cruise ship collided with Pier 27 in San Francisco early Thursday morning, causing damage to the ship’s underside, but fortunately, no injuries were reported. The Ruby Princess cruise ship was carrying over 3,000 guests and crew members when it struck the pier at 6:05 a.m. Passengers were allowed to disembark as scheduled later in the day.
Some passengers described the collision as a “little nudge” and were unaware of the incident until they noticed black smudges on the bottom of the ship. Princess Cruises is currently assessing the damage to both the ship and pier. The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board have launched investigations to determine the cause of the collision and ensure the ship’s safety for future voyages.
The San Francisco Bar Pilots, responsible for navigating the ship, are cooperating with the investigations. It is unclear if the incident will affect the ship’s scheduled departure to Alaska later in the day.
Despite the collision, passengers expressed confidence in the ship’s seaworthiness, with one passenger stating that the damage appeared manageable and easily fixable. The Ruby Princess had just completed a 10-day journey to Alaska before the collision occurred.
Thankfully, no injuries reported after cruise ship collides with San Francisco’s Pier 27. Grateful for the safety of all involved.
Thankful no injuries were reported in this cruise ship collision. Safety measures and emergency response efforts proved to be effective, preventing potential tragedy.