It was a terrifying scene aboard a cruise ship late last week, when a huge storm rocked a Carnival Cruise Line vessel, delaying the ship’s return to port and leaving passengers frightened for their lives.
The boat, Carnival Sunshine, was returning to Charleston, S.C., on Friday, May 26, when it encountered a storm. Torrential rains caused the boat’s hallways to flood with water and the boat’s furniture was flung around inside the ship by the rough conditions of the sea.
The cruise ship was returning after a six-day cruise of the Bahamas and Carnival confirmed the storm delayed the boat’s return to port and it arrived about nine hours behind schedule. “Carnival Sunshine’s return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday,” Carnival said in a statement. ”The weather’s prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship’s arrival on Sunday and as a result, the next voyage’s embarkation was also delayed.” Video and photos taken by passengers show water sluicing through hallways, retail display areas strewn with debris that fell from shelves, broken glass, doors knocked from their frames and huge waves smashing against the side of the vessel. “It was terrifying,” passenger William B.
Blackburn told CNN of the nightmare experience, saying he and his family took shelter in their cabin and prayed. “(We) discussed the fact that it would be very unlikely to survive in the water even with life-jackets and doubted that lifeboats could even be launched in those conditions,” he said.