The ferry Ciudad de Mahon encountered rougher conditions that she was expecting when she left the port of Algeciras and sailed out into the Strait of Gibraltar. Force 7 winds from Storm Emilia was blowing hard, tossing the ro/ro ship about in unexpectedly high waves.
Late Saturday night, the vessel made an attempt to depart Algeciras for Ceuta, leaving the dock three hours behind schedule. But she didn't make it far. After heavy pitching and rolling in the severe swells, the vessel had a reported "rogue wave" encounter in the early hours of Sunday morning. A large wave hit the vessel and caused her to heel, briefly lifting the propellers out of the water, El Faro reported. The master decided to return to port for safety reasons.
When the wave hit, vehicles on the car deck shook loose and slid about, causing considerable damage. Dozens of drivers had their vehicles' bodywork dented up, and more than a few were shaken by the experience, according to El Faro de Ceuta. Luckily, no physical injuries were reported.
On return to Algeciras, the vessel was delayed in docking for about two hours to wait for an open berth, according to the paper. Passengers were allowed access to food while waiting for the ship to dock. In all, the brief round-trip took about five hours out and back.
Passenger videos from the vehicle decks show a scene of chaos, with cars piled together at odd angles and an abundance of bent sheet metal. Some vehicles showed signs of severe damage, and there will likely be many claims for smaller bodywork repairs.
According to El Faro de Ceuta, Ciudad de Mahon was selected for this particular voyage because she is larger than the ship ordinarily assigned to this route, and the company believed that she would be better able to withstand the effects of the storm. The master and the port authority green-lighted the departure, the Algeciras Maritime Authority told El Faro.
"The weather conditions near the entrance to the port of Ceuta were more severe than the forecast for departure from Algeciras, and the rough waves made it impossible to maintain a stable course for docking in the port of Ceuta," operator Balearia said in a statement, offering compensation to passengers for damaged vehicles.
After a thorough inspection of the vessel - and a change in the weather - the Ciudad de Mahon has been allowed to resume operations. No further investigative steps are planned.
As of Monday, the ferry was operating on her normal route to and from Algeciras, making multiple crossings per day.
