Passengers injured as cruise ship collapses while docking

Going on a cruise can seem like a scary vacation option for those worried about being stranded at sea or on board a sinking ship.

Getty Images

However, a new fear was unleashed for cruise passengers when a Norwegian Cruise Line ship's gangway (the gangway that connects the ship to shore) s suddenly collapsed earlier this week, injuring several guests. The boat was stopped in Panama.

"We have dispatched our CARE team to Panama City to provide additional support to these passengers," a spokesperson for the cruise line told USA Today, noting that injured passengers were taken to nearby medical facilities. .

The 21-day cruise started in Seattle and will stop in Miami on November 13. Norwegian did not specify how many cruise passengers were injured or exactly what injuries were sustained.

According to Cruise Critic, the gangway will either connect a main deck of the ship to a cruise terminal, or when docking in port (as this ship did), it will typically connect on a lower deck bridging the gap between the quay and the ship. It was not specified where on the ship this specific gateway was connected.

The vessel, Norwegian Encore, is approximately 1,094 feet long with a maximum beam height of 136 feet. It can accommodate up to 3,998 guests at a time. It is the newest ship in the cruise line's fleet and offers the largest car racing track at sea on any ship as well as a full VR world called Galaxy Pavillion.

Contractor has contacted Norwegian Cruise Line for more information.

Earlier this year, a different vessel, the Norweigan Pearl, collided with a fishing boat during a 7-day trip from Boston to Bermuda in July. No injuries were reported aboard the Pearl.

This Army veteran started buying rental properties while in service and is now a full-time real estate investor. Here are his top tips for success.

Having work-life balance is nonsense. To achieve your goals, take another approach.

Feeling stuck? 5 ways to clear your mind and be your most productive self.

These founders couldn't find comics with strong black characters, so they created them. Then Kevin Hart and Mark Cuban invested $500,000 in their business.

Franchise brands must