Pilot error blamed for RCI collision

2022-06-13T20:14:34+00:00 June 13th, 2022|Safety|

Royal Caribbbean (RCI) has initially blamed pilot error for the ‘Harmony of the Seas’ colliding with a berth at Falmouth, Jamaica last month.

No injuries were sustained to either crew or passengers. The collision was said to have caused mostly cosmetic damage to the vessel, which included dents and paint scrapes.

‘Harmony of the Seas’ (pictured) struck a concrete mooring pylon while berthing at the port. The incident occurred around 7 am local time on 26th May.

“There were no injuries to guests or crew and only minor cosmetic damage to the ship’s stern. The sailing will continue as scheduled,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement.

According to Jamaican Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, the collision was caused by pilot error.

Bartlett is quoted as saying that the collision with the dock occurred when the pilot was badly directed while guiding the ship in.

The port did sustain some damage from the incident. Bartlett said, “We are repairing the damaged areas at the port now. The divers are there now recovering the broken elements and we should be back in full order for the ships that come next week.”