Eight people were injured after a large construction crane smashed into the Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas Monday as the ship was docked in a shipyard near Freeport in the Bahamas. The ship was undergoing routine maintenance at the time of the incident. Video of the destruction was captured by witnesses and quickly went viral after showing a large crane crashing into the cruise ship was posted Twitter.
The construction crane smashed into the stern of the boat where the ship’s AquaTheatre is located. Because the ship was docked for maintenance, only crew members were on board at the time of the accident. All injuries involved the dock workers who were around the ship at the time. One dock worker reported being so close to the crash that the crane barely missed him.
At this time, Royal Caribbean does not know the full extent of the damages. They are aware of the damage done to the dock structure and construction crane but are still assessing just how much damage was done to the vessel itself. After the incident, Royal Caribbean sent the ship home early and offered refunds to all affected passengers.
The Oasis of the Seas is one of the fourth largest cruise ships in the world. The ship is 1,187 feet long, 215 feet wide, and has a gross register tonnage of 225,282. At one point in time, this four-deck luxury ship was the biggest cruise ship in the world, but it was eventually surpassed by sister ships through the Royal Caribbean line, Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas. The Oasis has the capacity to carry 6,800 passengers and 2,200 crew members. The ship has many different attractions, including a surf simulator, zip line and aqua theater.
INJURED ON A CRUISE SHIP OR CRUISE SHIP EXCURSION? SPEAK TO A CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENT LAWYER TODAY: 1-866-597-4529.
If you have been injured on your cruise, on a wet and slippery deck, down a poorly lit staircase or steep gangway, in port on an excursion, or on a tender boat- it is important that you speak as soon as possible with a lawyer who specializes in personal injury claims against cruise lines. Most cruise lines, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, MSC, Disney, Holland America, Princess, Costa, Regents Seven Seas and Oceania require that claims against them be pursued in a very specific place under very strict deadlines. Failure to comply with each individual cruise lines deadlines can result in a complete loss of any and all legal rights.
Aronfeld Trial Lawyers is a personal injury firm located in Miami, Florida since 1991. We have fought hard to hold cruise lines accountable when they put their profits ahead of passenger safety. We are available 24/7 and encourage you to contact us even if you are still on your cruise. The sooner we can begin our investigation and preservation of key evidence, such as the CCTV footage of your trip and fall, slip and fall, assault or other type of injury the more likely we will be able to understand and prove how the incident occurred. Remember, the cruise lines have the most aggressive and well-funded defense lawyers in the world- protecting their profits. You need an experienced legal advocate in your corner who will fight to obtain the compensation you deserve for lost wages, medical expenses, transportation reimbursement and pain and suffering. Call us today and speak with a cruise ship claims lawyer about your potential claim– toll free 1-866-597-4529, 305-441-0440, or by email. We are ready to help.