US woman killed when 'rogue wave' strikes Antarctic cruise ship - New York Post

An American pistillate died and 4 different passengers were injured erstwhile a “rogue wave” deed a Viking cruise ship sailing adjacent the southernmost extremity of South America connected an Antarctic cruise, the institution said Thursday. 

The unidentified 62-year-old pistillate was deed by breached solid erstwhile the question broke compartment windows connected the Viking Polaris vessel precocious Tuesday during a storm, Argentine authorities said. The vessel suffered constricted harm and arrived successful Ushuaia, 1,926 miles southbound of Buenos Aires, the adjacent day.

“It is with large sadness that we confirmed a impermanent passed distant pursuing the incident,” Viking said successful a statement. “We person notified the guest’s household and shared our deepest sympathies.”

The 4 passengers injured were treated onboard the vessel by a doc and aesculapian unit for non-life-threatening injuries, the institution said. 

The vessel itself sustained “limited damage,” Viking said. 

“We are investigating the facts surrounding this incidental and volition connection our enactment to the applicable authorities,” the institution said. “Our absorption remains connected the information and wellbeing of our guests and crew, and we are moving straight with them to put instrumentality travel.”

Damage is seen connected the bottommost windows of the Viking Polaris vessel aft a question deed it connected Thursday.AFP via Getty Images

Rogue waves, besides known arsenic “extreme tempest waves” by scientists, are greater than doubly the size of surrounding waves and often travel unexpectedly from directions different than prevailing upwind and waves, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Suzie Gooding, who was connected the vessel erstwhile the incidental happened, told WRAL-TV successful Raleigh, North Carolina, that it felt similar the vessel had struck an iceberg.

“Everything was good until the rogue question hit, and it was conscionable sudden. Shocking,” she said. “We didn’t cognize if we should get our cogwheel acceptable for abandoning ship.”

Viking said it has canceled the ship’s adjacent scheduled departure, the Antarctic Explorer, slated to sail from Dec. 5-17. The Viking Polaris, a vas that has luxury facilities and was built successful 2022, has a capableness for 378 passengers and 256 unit members.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.