Terrifying moment cruise ship tilts sideways | Money News

Dramatic video has captured the moment a Crown Princess cruise ship tilted sideways after it encountered strong winds in New Zealand, injuring 16 people. 

The ship was on a round trip from Sydney to New Zealand last week when severe weather conditions caused the vessel to tilt as it was traveling near Milford Sound.

A video shared on social media showed water spilling from a top deck pool as the ship rocked.

Another clip showed kitchen staff clinging on to counters, while food and broken plates can be seen strewn across the floor. 

Thirteen passengers and three crew members reportedly suffered minor injuries.

If you can’t see the video below, click here

Princess Cruises said there was no structural damage to the ship, which continued on its journey.

“Crown Princess encountered strong winds during a course change, causing the ship to briefly tilt beyond its usual movement before stabilizing,” the cruise liner said in a statement. 

“Our crew responded quickly to correct the situation, and at no point was the safety of the ship compromised. Additionally, a small amount of water from the Lido Deck pool briefly entered the Horizons food court, but the area was quickly cleaned and reopened.”

The ship has capacity for 3090 guests. 

Passenger Martin Wise said it was a “frightening” experience. 

“I felt the boat starting to slant and tip. Then it lent over quite a bit and really started moving along at a high speed and we could see the sea looking very high out of the restaurant windows,” Wise told NZ outlet Stuff.

“On a frightening scale, I’d put it at 8.5 to 10.”

Wise said the incident lasted around 40 seconds. He said the captain told passengers that the ship had been hit by a 75 knot wind which caused it to tilt.