Cruise ship forced to turn back after 100 passengers injured in storm
The Spirit of Discovery cruise ship was forced to turn back after around 100 passengers were injured during a massive storm.
Cruise company Saga have said that most of the injuries were minor, but five people had to be taken to hospital when the ship returned to England on Tuesday local time.
One passenger told BBC News that a few passengers "feared for their lives", when the storm hit the ship in the Bay of Biscay, off the French coast.
"People were writing texts to their loved ones in case we capsized," they added.
"The tone of voice in our captain... he was physically scared. We had crew crying. We had many passengers in awful states of fear."
The passenger also claimed that that injuries included broken bones and cuts, with reports of furniture flying around and people being knocked off their feet, as the ship stopped moving and veered dramatically to one side as part of its safety manoeuvre.
Another passenger, 75-year-old Jan Bendall, told the BBC that she and her husband were "holding on for dear life", and that it was overall a frightening experience.
"It was quite frightening, I'm not somebody who frightens easily," Bendall said.
"We were lucky - we're quite able-bodied, but I think some of the older people and people in their own cabins were quite worried," she added.
The ship itself holds almost 1000 passengers and holds cruises for people over 50.
Saga told the BBC that there had been "very limited" damage and the ship had "remained safe at all times."
"While the weather is clearly beyond our control, we want to offer our sincere apologies to all those affected who are now safely on their way home in calmer seas," the spokesperson said.
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