Fishing boat strikes Norwegian Pearl cruise ship off Mass. coast

2022-07-31 11:42:11 By : Ms. Mavis Liu

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

Passengers aboard a cruise ship that sails weekly out of Boston awoke to a jolt early Saturday morning when the massive vessel was struck by a fishing boat.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it received a report of the collision involving the Norwegian Pearl at 2:25 a.m. A spokesperson said a fishing boat, Gabby G, struck the Pearl’s midsection about 41 nautical miles east of Nantucket.

The vessels were operating in rainy conditions at the time of the collision.

“The seas were relatively calm and then all of a sudden the ship just started going to the side,” said passenger Jeff Coveney. “It’s a little concerning that we’re not being told completely what has been happening. Even if nothing happened we would like to know that something has not happened but the lack of transparency is worrying.”

Coast Guard officials said damage to the cruise ship was minimal, but the fishing vessel was significantly damaged. One person aboard the Gabby G suffered a laceration. No one on the cruise ship was injured.

The damaged Gabby G was taken to New Bedford.

The Pearl is 965 feet long and can accommodate nearly 2,400 guests. She has 16 dining options, 15 bars and lounges, a casino and a spa.

She sails weekly between Boston and Bermuda through November.

Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.