Norwegian Epic Breaks from Moorings, Guest Falls From Gangway
Passengers aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic experienced a chaotic afternoon on May 30, 2025, when the ship broke free from its moorings while docked in Catania, Italy.
The incident occurred just after 1 p.m. local time as guests were reboarding the vessel following a port stop in the Sicilian city.
Videos and eyewitness reports indicate that the ship’s lines snapped one by one with loud cracks, sending some guests, who had been on the gangway, tumbling into the water.
“All of a sudden, we heard this loud bang,” said one passenger. “One by one, the concrete nubs in the ground that hold the ropes were pulling out of the ground and went flying into the ship,” said one passenger.
Local media reported that strong winds were a contributing factor in the incident.
Indeed, the Italian Meteorological Service had issued a moderate wind warning, which indicates sustained wind speeds of 26 to 39 miles per hour or frequent wind gusts of 35 to 57 miles per hour.
While the exact cause is still under investigation, reports indicate that the mooring points on the dock may have failed under stress, combined with mechanical pressure from the ship’s movement.
Port authorities and emergency responders acted quickly to pull two individuals from the water after a female passenger fell into the water and her husband jumped in to rescue her.
Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed that one guest in the process of disembarking fell from the gangway into the water and both passengers were taken by ambulance to the local hospital.
“On-duty crew members were able to immediately assist the guest from the water and see that they were evaluated by the medical team,” said a spokesperson for the cruise line to Cruise Hive.
“It was determined that they sustained minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital for further examination and treatment.”
As the ship floated away from the dock and into the harbor, crew members advised guests still on land to return to the city and check back later.
Once Norwegian Epic regained control and returned to port, authorities delayed reboarding until the winds died down.
Passengers reported being told they would be able to embark by 4 or 5 p.m., but high winds continued into the early evening, further delaying the process.
“The disembarkation and embarkation process was paused until weather conditions improved and the ship was able to safely dock again,” said Norwegian Cruise Line to Cruise Hive.
A guest shared that the ship finally began the reboarding process at 7:15 p.m., six hours after the incident.
Cruise Delayed in Catania
Norwegian Epic can accommodate over 4,000 passengers and is sailing a 10-night round-trip voyage from Civitavecchia (Rome).
Read Also: Docking a Cruise Ship – How Is It Done?
After visiting Santorini, Athens, and Olympia, Greece, as well as Malta, the 155,873-gross-ton ship arrived in Catania at 8 a.m. The call was meant to conclude at 6 p.m., and at press time, 9 p.m. local time, the ship remains in port.
She is scheduled to arrive in Naples, Italy, on May 31, followed by visits to Livorno (Florence), Italy, and Cannes, France, before concluding on June 3, 2025.
During the incident, passengers stuck on land took to social media to share their frustration, including a lack of communication from the crew in port or via the Norwegian Cruise Line app.
“Everyone is stuck at the port, very little information from NCL, some of us have been waiting here since noon. Very little water, older folks are hot, there is not enough water or seats,” shared one guest.
Norwegian Cruise Line responded to the reports and said, “During this interruption, our crew were actively attending to our guests until they were able to re-embark the ship. As always, the safety of our guests and crew is our top priority.”
Despite the delay, broken mooring lines are not uncommon. In March 2025, a Holland America Line ship had to skip a port after the lines broke on Rotterdam during rough swells.
Norwegian Epic Breaks from Moorings, Guest Falls From Gangway