antarctica cruise death

Watch CBS News

"Rogue wave" kills American woman, injures four others on Antarctic cruise ship

Updated on: December 2, 2022 / 7:15 PM EST / CBS/AFP

A U.S. woman died and four other passengers were injured when a massive wave smashed into an Antarctic cruise ship during a storm as it sailed off the southernmost tip of South America, officials said Friday. The 62-year-old woman was hit by broken glass when the wave broke cabin windows late Tuesday, Argentine authorities said.

The Viking Polaris cruise ship was sailing toward Ushuaia in Argentina — the main starting point for expeditions to Antarctica — when there was "a rogue wave incident," a representative of the Viking cruise company said in a statement .

"It is with great sadness that we confirmed a guest passed away following the incident. We have notified the guest's family and shared our deepest sympathies," the statement said.

Neither the Viking statement nor the Argentine Naval Prefecture identified the woman or her hometown.  

In a statement to CBS News, a U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed the death and offered condolences to the family.

"We are offering all appropriate consular assistance," the spokesperson said. "Out of respect for the family during this difficult time, we have no further comment."

Four other tourists "sustained non-life-threatening injuries" and were treated onboard, the cruise line said.

"We wondered if we hit an iceberg," Suzie Gooding, a passenger from North Carolina,  told WRAL-TV . "And there are no icebergs out here, but that's how it felt."

Gooding told the station that the impact of the wave was "shocking."

"Everything was fine until the rogue wave hit, and it was just sudden. Shocking," Gooding said. "We didn't know if we should get our gear ready for abandoning ship."

Durham couple on board cruise ship struck by enormous wave, killing 1, injuring 4 https://t.co/6FIvbmV0dT — WRAL NEWS in NC (@WRAL) December 2, 2022

The ship suffered minor damage and was anchored off Ushuaia, 3,200 kilometers (nearly 2,000 miles) from the capital Buenos Aires, with several windows smashed on the side, AFP journalists reported.

Viking said it was "investigating the facts surrounding this incident."

Scientists often refer to rogue waves as extreme storm waves that surge out of nowhere, often in an unpredictable direction, and can look like a steep wall of water, up to twice the size of surrounding waves.

These rare killer waves were once seen as a myth reported by mariners or explorers. The polar explorer Ernest Shackleton wrote in his book of a "gigantic" freak wave he encountered in Antarctica in 1916.

However, scientists have learned more about them in recent decades, studying how they emerge and how to predict the wall of water that can surge up even in calm seas.

The Viking Polaris was launched in 2022 and is the newest ship in the company's fleet.

The incident comes two weeks after two tourists died on another Antarctic cruise. The two men, aged 76 and 80, had left the World Explorer ship for an excursion on an inflatable zodiac boat which overturned near the shore.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

• Cruise Ship

More from CBS News

American tourist dead after suddenly getting sick on Sicily's Mount Etna

Nigeria school collapse kills at least 22 students as they take exams

Warlord linked to 1,500 murders and disappearances released from prison

At least 90 dead after Israeli attack on southern Gaza Strip

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Rogue Wave Strikes Cruise Ship, Killing a Passenger and Injuring 4 Others

The passengers were hurt after a large, unpredictable wave hit the ship, which was traveling toward the Antarctic, Viking Cruises said.

By Amanda Holpuch

A passenger died and four others were injured after a large, unexpected wave hit a cruise ship traveling toward a popular launching point for expeditions to Antarctica, Viking Cruises said.

The ship, the Viking Polaris, was struck by a “rogue wave” on Tuesday at 10:40 p.m. local time while traveling toward Ushuaia, Argentina, which is on the southern tip of South America, Viking Cruises said in a statement .

Viking Cruises did not say how the passenger was killed or provide the passenger’s name. The four passengers who were injured were treated by onboard medical staff and had non-life-threatening injuries, Viking Cruises said.

A State Department official said that a U.S. citizen died and that the department was offering consular assistance to the person’s family.

Rogue waves are unpredictable, typically twice the size of surrounding waves and often come from a different direction than the surrounding wind and waves, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . Scientists are still trying to figure out how and when these uncommon waves form.

Ann Mah, of Topeka, Kan., told the news station WIBW that she and her husband were on the ship when it was hit by the wave and that it was “just like your whole house got shook really hard.”

“I mean, it was just a thud,” Ms. Mah said.

The Viking Polaris was launched this year and was designed for travel to remote destinations such as the Antarctic Peninsula. The ship is 665 feet long and can carry 378 passengers and 256 crew members.

The ship sustained “limited damage” from the wave and arrived in Ushuaia the day after it was struck, Viking Cruises said.

The cruise company canceled the Viking Polaris’s next scheduled trip, a 13-day cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula.

“We are investigating the facts surrounding this incident and will offer our support to the relevant authorities,” the company said.

Tourism to the Antarctic has steadily increased in the last 30 years, with 74,401 people traveling there in the 2019-20 season, according to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators. Roughly 6,700 people traveled there in the 1992-93 season, according to the association.

In recent years, some observers have warned that the increase in tourism may not be sustainable and that it could threaten visitor safety or disrupt the fragile environment, which is already straining under the effects of climate change.

It is the beginning of the Antarctic tourism season, which coincides with its summer, beginning in late October or early November and usually lasting until March.

The death on the Viking Cruises ship this week comes after the death of two other cruise ship passengers in the Antarctic last month. Two Quark Expeditions cruise ship passengers died after one of the ship’s heavy duty inflatable Zodiac boats overturned near shore, Seatrade Cruise News reported .

Amanda Holpuch is a general assignment reporter. More about Amanda Holpuch

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

Rogue Wave Kills Passenger, Injures 4 on Antarctic Cruise Ship: 'We Wondered if We Hit an Iceberg'

Viking Cruises offered its support to the victim's family and canceled an upcoming departure after its ship was damaged by the rare and mysterious phenomenon known as a rogue wave

One person is dead and four others were injured after a rogue wave crashed into a Antarctic cruise ship on Tuesday.

The incident happened on the Viking Polaris as it was sailing toward Ushuaia, Argentina, at the southernmost tip of the continent during a voyage to Antarctica, according to a statement on the company's website .

Four guests were treated for non-life threatening injuries by the ship's medical staff. The cruise ship company did not identify the passenger who died, but said it has notified their family and offered condolences as well as "our full support to the family in the hours and days ahead."

Suzie Gooding, a North Carolina woman who was on the cruise, told local news station WRAL that they felt the impact of the huge wave on the ship.

" We wondered if we hit an iceberg ," she said. "And there are no icebergs out here, but that's how it felt."

She said the wave was completely unexpected. "Everything was fine until the rogue wave hit, and it was just sudden. Shocking," Gooding said. "We didn't know if we should get our gear ready for abandoning ship."

Viking Cruises said the vessel — which just joined its fleet in September — "sustained limited damage."

Images of the ship appear to show broken windows on its lower level.

The National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines a "rogue wave " as a one that is "greater than twice the size of surrounding waves."

The waves, which can look like "walls of water," are "very unpredictable, and often come unexpectedly from directions other than prevailing wind and waves," according to the agency.

NOAA says "exactly how and when rogue waves form is still under investigation," adding that because they are so uncommon and can form unexpectedly and disappear quickly, "measurements and analysis of this phenomenon is extremely rare."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

Viking Cruises said it is investigating the incident and "will offer our support" to authorities.

"We have made the difficult decision to cancel the ship's next scheduled departure," the company said in its statement, adding that "all impacted guests and their travel advisors have been notified directly by Viking Customer Relations."

"Our focus remains on the safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew," the company said in a statement . "We are working directly with them to arrange return travel."

Related Articles

Continuing Coverage

US Citizen Killed When ‘Rogue' Wave Hit Viking Cruise Ship in Antarctic

The 62-year-old woman was hit by broken glass when the wave broke cabin windows late tuesday during a storm, argentine authorities said, by ap and staff • published december 2, 2022 • updated on december 4, 2022 at 10:34 am.

A U.S. woman was killed and four other passengers injured when a massive wave struck the Viking Polaris cruise ship while it was sailing toward the port of Ushuaia in southern Argentina on an Antarctic cruise, authorities said.

The 62-year-old woman was hit by broken glass when the wave broke cabin windows late Tuesday during a storm, Argentine authorities said. The ship suffered limited damage and arrived in Ushuaia, 1,926 miles south of Buenos Aires, the next day.

📺 24/7 South Florida news stream: Watch NBC6 free wherever you are

“It is with great sadness that we confirmed a guest passed away following the incident," Viking said in a statement. “We have notified the guest’s family and shared our deepest sympathies.”

The Hurricane season is on. Our meteorologists are ready. Sign up for the NBC 6 Weather newsletter to get the latest forecast in your inbox.

Neither the statement nor the Argentine Naval Prefecture identified the woman or her hometown.

Viking called it a “rogue wave incident” and said the four other passengers' injuries were non-life threatening.

A North Carolina couple aboard the ship told NBC affiliate WRAL that they thought "we hit an iceberg" when the wave crashed into the cruise ship.

U.S. & World

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott demands answers as customers remain without power after Beryl

Congress demands answers from Secret Service after Trump assassination attempt

"There are no icebergs out here, but that's how it felt," Suzie Gooding said.

Gooding told the news station that the impact was "shocking" because it happened so suddenly.

"We didn't know if we should get our gear ready for abandoning ship," she added.

The cruise ship was anchored near Ushuaia, where a federal court has opened a case to determine what happened.

NOAA's National Ocean Service describes these "rogue" waves as "walls of water" that are often steep-sided with unusually deep troughs.

"Rogues, called 'extreme storm waves' by scientists, are those waves which are greater than twice the size of surrounding waves, are very unpredictable, and often come unexpectedly from directions other than prevailing wind and waves," the agency explains.

The company indicated on its website that to explore remote regions of the world they have “two purpose-built, state-of-the-art small expedition-class ships: Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris.”

The Viking Polaris, a vessel that has luxury facilities and was built in 2022, has capacity for 378 passengers and 256 crew members.

• WEATHER ALERT Heat Advisory Full Story
• WEATHER ALERT Excessive Heat Watch Full Story
• ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream Watch Now
• THE LOOP | NYC Weather and Traffic Cams Watch Now
• LIVE: Shooter and bystander dead, Trump 'fine' after gunfire erupts at rally Watch Now

Passengers on Antarctic cruise ship hit by deadly 'rogue wave' speak out

The Trusdales were passengers on the Viking Polaris cruise ship sailing toward Ushuaia, Argentina, last week.

Tom and Pam Trusdale were enjoying a bucket list trip to Antarctica , until their trip of a lifetime turned into a deadly disaster.

"It was going real smoothly, and we were only anticipating nothing but smooth going forward," Tom Trusdale told ABC News.

The Trusdales were passengers on the Viking Polaris cruise ship sailing toward Ushuaia, Argentina, when it was hit by a "rogue wave" last week , killing an American passenger, Sheri Zhu, and injuring four others.

"Good Morning America" airs at 7 a.m. ET on ABC.

The Trusdales said the wave wasn't the only disaster. The Trusdales and ABC News later confirmed that a day before the accident, another passenger was seriously injured during a Zodiac boat excursion.

"It was a real loud, it was a boom, and I flew up in the air, and the passenger across from me flew up in the air. She came down and hit hard," Pam Trusdale said.

Tom Trusdale said he saw two passengers tossed into the air from what seemed to be an apparent explosion.

"I saw the woman go, probably about 3 feet in the air, and then the gentleman straight across from me go up in the air, and then roll over into the sea," Tom Trusdale said. "So I went across and leaned over the pontoon, and I just grabbed on to the life jacket. He was face up, so he was stabilized, and I reassured him that, 'Hey, you're safe.'"

Tom Trusdale said he and another passenger were able to quickly pull the man back on the boat, but the woman's leg was severely injured.

"She said, 'I hurt my legs. I can't feel my leg,'" Pam Trusdale said. " And then I could hear her kind of straining that, you know, I could tell that she was in a lot of pain."

The passenger's leg required surgery, which led the ship's captain to turn back to Argentina. During the trip back toward Argentina, through a known turbulent stretch of ocean, was when the "rogue wave" crashed into the cruise ship.

"This wave hit it and came over and literally broke through windows and just washed into these rooms, and not only did it wash into the rooms, but it broke walls down, and once some walls went into the next room," Tom Trusdale said.

Viking said in a statement on its website that it's investigating the wave incident and is committed to the safety and security of all guests and crew.

Viking issued a second statement about the Zodiac boat incident, saying: "On November 28, the Viking Polaris deployed a small boat with six guests and one crew member near Damoy Point, Antarctica. On this trip a guest sustained a serious but non-life-threatening leg injury while on board the small boat and was taken to the medical center on the Viking Polaris."

"Following a detailed diagnosis by the ship's medical team, the decision was taken for the ship to immediately sail to Ushuaia so that the guest could receive additional medical care from a shore-based hospital," it continued. "The guest is now recovering shoreside in Ushuaia and will then return home; Viking is continuing to support them during this period. We are committed to the safety and security of all our guests and crew, and we are investigating the cause of the incident."

Related Topics

• U.S. & WORLD
• CRUISE SHIP

VIDEO: Rogue wave crashes into US Army Base, ripping doors from hinges

1 dead, 4 injured after 'rogue wave' strikes Antarctic cruise ship

Newlyweds rescued after being swept away by giant wave

High surf, rip currents at Jersey shore and in California

Top stories.

Police spotted suspected shooter before attack at Trump rally | Live Updates

• 10 minutes ago

Officials identify man killed, 2 others injured at Trump rally

What we know about the Trump attempted assassination investigation

Secret Service investigating how man who shot, hurt Trump got so close

AccuWeather: Very hot and humid

• 37 minutes ago

No changes to RNC security plan after Trump shooting: Secret Service

• 17 minutes ago

Shannen Doherty, 'Beverly Hills, 90210' star, dies at 53

Rally shooting suspect did not make school rifle club, students say

latest in US News

GOP convention choice Milwaukee was scene of assassination try on...

Disgraced ex- Illinois Gov. Blagojevich now a 'Trump-o-crat' with...

Marine veteran David Dutch ID'd as one of the 2 men injured in...

'Squad' under siege as Rep. Cori Bush trails Democratic...

Who was Corey Comperatore, hero firefighter killed at Trump's Pa....

What we know about Thomas Matthew Crooks, gunman who tried to...

MLK Jr. aide backs Jewish-Americans' push to confront...

NYC museum Fotografiska to settle pregnancy discrimination suit...

Breaking news, us woman killed when ‘rogue wave’ strikes antarctic cruise ship.

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

An American woman died and four other passengers were injured when a “rogue wave” hit a Viking  cruise ship  sailing near the southernmost tip of South America on an Antarctic cruise, the company said Thursday. 

The unidentified 62-year-old woman was hit by broken glass when the wave broke cabin windows on the Viking Polaris ship late Tuesday during a storm, Argentine authorities said. The ship suffered limited damage and arrived in Ushuaia, 1,926 miles south of Buenos Aires, the next day.

“It is with great sadness that we confirmed a guest passed away following the incident,” Viking said in a statement. “We have notified the guest’s family and shared our deepest sympathies.”

The four passengers injured were treated onboard the ship by a doctor and medical staff for non-life-threatening injuries, the company said. 

The ship itself sustained “limited damage,” Viking said. 

“We are investigating the facts surrounding this incident and will offer our support to the relevant authorities,” the company said. “Our focus remains on the safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew, and we are working directly with them to arrange return travel.”

Rogue waves, also known as “extreme storm waves” by scientists, are greater than twice the size of surrounding waves and often come unexpectedly from directions other than prevailing wind and waves, according to the  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration .

Suzie Gooding, who was on the ship when the incident happened, told WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina, that it felt like the ship had struck an iceberg.

“Everything was fine until the rogue wave hit, and it was just sudden. Shocking,” she said. “We didn’t know if we should get our gear ready for abandoning ship.”

Viking said it has canceled the ship’s next scheduled departure, the Antarctic Explorer, slated to sail from Dec. 5-17. The Viking Polaris, a vessel that has luxury facilities and was built in 2022, has a capacity for 378 passengers and 256 crew members.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Durham couple on board cruise ship struck by enormous wave, killing 1, injuring 4

Carlos alcaraz wins wimbledon by beating novak djokovic and now owns 4 slam titles at age 21, inspiration is in the eye of the beholder for paralympic swimmer evan wilkerson, barbora krejcikova wins wimbledon by beating jasmine paolini for her second grand slam trophy, preview: ncfc visits sacramento republic fc, trump injured but 'fine' after attempted assassination at rally, shooter and one attendee are dead.

WRAL Late News

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 Drawing

Live: Listen to President Biden speak after last night’s assassination attempt on Trump

'Died a hero:' Governor shares memories of man shot while protecting family at Trump rally

• Updated Terms of Use
• New Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Closed Caption Policy
• Accessibility Statement

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions . Legal Statement . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper .

US woman killed when 'rogue wave' strikes Antarctic cruise ship

The wave struck a viking polaris cruise ship sailing near south america, the company said.

Fox News Flash top headlines for December 2

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

An American woman died and four other passengers were injured when a "rogue wave" hit a Viking cruise ship sailing near the southernmost tip of South America on an Antarctic cruise, the company said Thursday. 

The unidentified 62-year-old woman was hit by broken glass when the wave broke cabin windows on the Viking Polaris ship late Tuesday during a storm, Argentine authorities said. The ship suffered limited damage and arrived in Ushuaia, 1,926 miles south of Buenos Aires , the next day.

"It is with great sadness that we confirmed a guest passed away following the incident," Viking said in a statement. "We have notified the guest’s family and shared our deepest sympathies."

FRONTIER AIRLINES CEO UNPACKS HOLIDAY AIR TRAVEL

One person was killed and four other passengers were injured when a giant wave broke several panes of glass on a cruise ship sailing in Antarctic waters in a storm on Tuesday.  (Alexis Delelisi /AFP via Getty Images)

The four passengers injured were treated onboard the ship by a doctor and medical staff for non-life-threatening injuries, the company said. 

The ship itself sustained "limited damage," Viking said. 

"We are investigating the facts surrounding this incident and will offer our support to the relevant authorities," the company said. "Our focus remains on the safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew, and we are working directly with them to arrange return travel."

Rogue waves, also known as "extreme storm waves" by scientists, are greater than twice the size of surrounding waves and often come unexpectedly from directions other than prevailing wind and waves, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration .

Suzie Gooding, who was on the ship when the incident happened, told WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina, that it felt like the ship had struck an iceberg.

"Everything was fine until the rogue wave hit, and it was just sudden. Shocking," she said. "We didn’t know if we should get our gear ready for abandoning ship."

The Viking Polaris ship is seen anchored in waters of the Atlantic Ocean in Ushuaia, southern Argentina, on Thursday. (Alexis Delelisi /AFP via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Viking said it has canceled the ship's next scheduled departure, the Antarctic Explorer, slated to sail from Dec. 5-17. The Viking Polaris, a vessel that has luxury facilities and was built in 2022, has a capacity for 378 passengers and 256 crew members.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to  [email protected] .

Fox News' "Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world.

You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Antarctic cruises are rising in popularity, though 4 Americans recently died on them

The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the deaths of four Americans on cruises to Antarctica, highlighting the perils of these increasingly popular cruises.

Copyright © 2023 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Too many cruising accidents? Coast Guard opens investigation into Antarctica cruise casualties

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the deaths and injuries of Americans on cruise ships sailing in and around Antarctica late last year.

The U.S. Coast Guard Activities Europe, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and international flag administrations are looking into incidents on foreign-flagged vessels that occurred between Nov. 15 and Dec. 1.

The investigations include an incident in November when a rogue wave hit the Viking Polaris ship  on its way to Ushuaia, Argentina. One person died and four others were injured. Norway is the lead investigative state on the case.

A rogue wave caused a cruise ship tragedy: They occur more often than you think

Crystal Cruises will set sail again this summer: Line relaunching with new name, 'personalized service'

"Our deepest sympathies go out to the families of those impacted by these tragedies," Coast Guard Activities Europe commanding officer Capt. Gretchen Bailey said in a news release . "The safety of U.S. passengers aboard ships throughout the globe is a priority for the U.S. Coast Guard. We are proud to work alongside the NTSB and our international partners to investigate these incidents and make meaningful safety improvements for worldwide passenger vessel operations, especially in unique high-risk environments like the Antarctic."

What incidents is the Coast Guard investigating?

The investigations include several other incidents:

► When an inflatable boat from Viking Polaris "sustained a keel-bladder failure near Damoy Point, Antarctica," a U.S. citizen got hurt, according to the release. Norway is the lead investigative state on that case as well.

► Two U.S. citizens died after an inflatable boat from Quark Expeditions' World Explorer ship capsized close to Elephant Island, Antarctica. The boat was carrying six passengers at the time. Portugal is the lead investigative state.

► A U.S. citizen died after getting hurt on board Oceanwide Expeditions' Plancius ship. The Coast Guard is investigating in coordination with Netherlands and Falkland Islands officials.

"We deeply regret this unfortunate accident and wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the departed," Oceanwide Expeditions' Antarctic Program Manager Franklin Braeckman said in an email. "This incident involved an accidental fall on our vessel Plancius that did not take place during any activity or landing."

"Medical support was provided immediately, after which we arranged an evacuation," he added.

Medical facilities on cruises: What happens if you get sick or injured (or bit by a monkey) on a cruise ship

Viking and Quark Expeditions did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on the investigations.

The U.S. will help with the Viking Polaris and World Explorer investigations "as a substantially interested state in accordance with International Maritime Organization protocols and Coast Guard policy," the Coast Guard said in the release.

The Coast Guard and the NTSB, as well as the lead investigative states, also sent teams to conduct safety investigations in Ushuaia, Argentina – a common point of departure for Antarctica expeditions – in order to prevent other similar incidents.

Cruise lines dropped COVID-19 rules: How did that affect cases? We got numbers from the CDC

Family-friendly cruises: These 4 lines have the best new onboard rides and attractions for families

How often do those incidents happen?

There are potential hazards that come with visiting Antarctica, said Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert known as The Cruise Guy.

"It's not a sunny, calm sailing around the Caribbean Sea," he told USA TODAY in an email.

Death and injury are "inherent but rare risks while visiting Antarctica but shouldn't be overriding factors," he said. "As more people and ships sail in the region, there will be increased incidents."

Rogue waves, for their part, are more than twice the size of surrounding waves, according to the  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . They are dangerous and unpredictable, but uncommon.

Cruise and tour operators will keep doing everything they can to keep minimize dangers and hiccups, and provide safe travel experiences, according to Chiron. While he advised travelers to be aware of the risks before going, they may find the journey plenty worth it. "Observing the wildlife and the ice sheets can be quite rewarding," he said. "Visiting a destination seen by so few can be quite fulfilling."

American woman killed onboard Antarctic cruise

An investigation is underway into how an american passenger was killed when a so-called “rogue wave” hit the viking polaris cruise ship., december 5, 2022, what’s next for russia, what comes next after texas school shooting, what's next for abortion rights in america, the new battle for voting rights, how we can build a clean and renewable future, the fight for kyiv, examining extremism in the military, gun violence: an american epidemic, border crisis: what’s happening at the us-mexico border, remembering george floyd: a year of protest, the source of covid-19: what we know, how did the gamestop stock spike on wall street happen, why are people hesitant to trust a covid-19 vaccine, how climate change and forest management make wildfires harder to contain, disparity in police response: black lives matter protests and capitol riot, 2020 in review: a year unlike any other, examined: how putin keeps power, why don’t the electoral college and popular vote always match up, us crosses 250,000 coronavirus deaths, 2nd impeachment trial: what this could mean for trump, presidential transition of power: examined, how donald trump spent his last days as president, how joe biden's inauguration will be different from previous years, belarus’ ongoing protests: examined, trump challenges the vote and takes legal action, 2020’s dnc and rnc are different than any before, what is happening with the usps, voting in 2020 during covid-19, disinformation in 2020, abc news specials on, impact x nightline: on the brink, impact x nightline: unboxing shein, the lady bird diaries, impact x nightline: it's britney, impact x nightline: natalee holloway -- a killer confesses, impact x nightline: who shot tupac, impact x nightline, power trip: those who seek power and those who chase them, the murders before the marathon, the ivana trump story: the first wife, mormon no more, leave no trace: a hidden history of the boy scouts, keeper of the ashes: the oklahoma girl scout murders, the orphans of covid: america's hidden toll, superstar: patrick swayze, the kardashians -- an abc news special, 24 months that changed the world, have you seen this man.

clock This article was published more than  1 year ago

Passenger deaths on Antarctic cruises prompt Coast Guard investigation

Four U.S. citizens died and others were injured in the span of a few weeks late last year

Four U.S. citizens died and more were injured during Antarctic cruises late last year, leading the U.S. Coast Guard to investigate four incidents that occurred in a span of less than three weeks.

According to a news release , Netherlands-based U.S. Coast Guard Activities Europe, the National Transportation Safety Board and other global investigators sent teams to Ushuaia, Argentina, a common departure point for Antarctica cruises. The U.S. military service said it would “commence thorough safety investigations with the goal of improving marine safety and preventing similar tragic incidents.”

More than 50,000 expedition cruise tourists visited Antarctica in the 2019-2020 season, The Washington Post has reported , while another 18,000 were only able to observe from bigger cruise ships.

The recent incidents took place on foreign-flagged vessels between Nov. 15 and Dec. 1; the travel season for Antarctica generally stretches from November through March.

Two U.S. citizens died Nov. 15 when they were on an inflatable boat that capsized with six passengers on board near Elephant Island in Antarctica. The inflatable came from the World Explorer, a ship chartered by polar adventure company Quark Expeditions.

Quark Expeditions said in a statement that the “tragic accident during a Zodiac excursion” appeared to have been caused by a breaking wave. Passengers on Antarctic cruises are able to get closer to wildlife or natural features on heavy-duty inflatable boats called Zodiacs.

Advancements in polar sailing allow travelers to explore Antarctica’s little-visited areas

The operator said in a statement Wednesday that it was aware of the Coast Guard’s announcement and pledged to “continue to cooperate fully with the investigation.”

Because the World Explorer flies a Portuguese flag, Portugal is the lead investigative state. The Coast Guard is investigating “as a substantially interested state with NTSB support.”

Investigators are also looking into two incidents on Viking Polaris, a Norwegian-flagged vessel. In one, a U.S. citizen was hurt during a mishap on an inflatable boat that the Coast Guard described as a keel-bladder failure near Damoy Point.

The other incident aboard Viking Polaris was highly publicized. Late the night of Nov. 29, as the 378-passenger ship was sailing toward Ushuaia, a rogue wave struck the ship, Viking Cruises said. One U.S. citizen died and four others were hurt.

Antarctica cruises are booming. But can the continent handle it?

The Coast Guard described the wave as a “large wave” and said it hit the ship in the Drake Passage, the notoriously rough body of water between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands.

Norway is the lead investigative state in both incidents; the Coast Guard is investigating as a “substantially interested state” with NTSB support.

In the fourth incident, a U.S. citizen died of an injury that occurred aboard Plancius, a Dutch-flagged vessel operated by Oceanwide Expeditions . The Coast Guard is investigating with authorities from the Netherlands and the Falkland Islands.

Franklin Braeckman, Antarctic program manager for Oceanwide Expeditions, said in an email that the person died following an “accidental fall” on the vessel that did not take place during any activity or landing.

“Medical support was provided immediately, after which we arranged an evacuation,” he wrote. “Unfortunately, however, these measures were not sufficient to change the tragic outcome of the accident.”

Viking did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to the families of those impacted by these tragedies,” Capt. Gretchen Bailey, the commanding officer of Coast Guard Activities Europe, said in a news release.

“The safety of U.S. passengers aboard ships throughout the globe is a priority for the U.S. Coast Guard. We are proud to work alongside the NTSB and our international partners to investigate these incidents and make meaningful safety improvements for worldwide passenger vessel operations, especially in unique high-risk environments like the Antarctic.”

More cruise news

Living at sea: Travelers on a 9-month world cruise are going viral on social media. For some travelers, not even nine months was enough time on a ship; they sold cars, moved out of their homes and prepared to set sail for three years . That plan fell apart, but a 3.5-year version is waiting in the wings.

Passengers beware: It’s not all buffets and dance contests. Crime data reported by cruise lines show that the number of sex crimes has increased compared to previous years. And though man-overboard cases are rare, they are usually deadly .

The more you know: If you’re cruise-curious, here are six tips from a newcomer. Remember that in most cases, extra fees and add-ons will increase the seemingly cheap price of a sailing. And if you happen to get sick , know what to expect on board.

A luxury Viking cruise ship helped scientists encounter the rarely-seen giant phantom jellyfish

• Tourists aboard a submersible saw the rare giant phantom jellyfish during a Viking cruise.
• Viking Octantis is a luxury ship that travels to Antarctica and often has researchers aboard.
• Viking published its first scientific paper in 2023 based on the jellyfish encounters.

Not so long ago, giant phantom jellyfish were an extremely rare sight, with fewer than 130 known sightings. Then tourists aboard personal submersibles started spotting them near the Antarctic Peninsula.

The submersible rides were part of a Viking Expedition trip. Viking Octantis, a luxury cruise vessel, takes thousands of passengers each year through the icy waters of the Southern Ocean to glimpse penguins, seals, and other wildlife.

All the majestic scenery and cruise ship amenities come with a healthy dose of science and the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge Antarctic research . Trips start at $13,000 for a 13-day cruise.

Searching the deep seas for phantom jellyfish

While scientists started using personal submersibles with increasing frequency in the 1990s and 2000s, Antarctic waters are generally still difficult and expensive to get to. Hopping in one right from Viking's cruise ship makes things a little easier.

And it's novel enough that every trip might lead to something unexpected. "The exciting thing is we can go into the water and say there's a very real chance we might find something that is genuinely new ," Damon Stanwell-Smith, Viking's head of science and sustainability told Business Insider.

Viking's Octantis has two, six-passenger submersibles , which take guests down to depths of nearly 1,000 feet.

It was during three such trips in early 2022 that Viking tourists snapped pictures and took video of the giant phantom jellyfish. A year later, other guests had spotted a handful more, National Geographic reported .

First described in 1910, the jellyfish has an umbrella-like body with four ribbony arms, which help trap prey and can grow to over 33 feet each.

Finding the jellyfish has proven difficult in the past, and many mysteries remain about its habits. While they're typically observed in deep water , all the Viking sightings were at less than 1,000 feet deep.

Based on the guests' jellyfish encounters, the ship's researchers published a scientific paper in 2023 in the peer-reviewed journal Polar Research discussing how submersibles can help lead to breakthroughs in Antarctica's under-studied waters .

An expedition ship built for luxury and discovery

In addition to hangers built for subs, the Octantis and its sister ship, Polaris, were designed for many other types of science. There are 380-square-foot laboratories with equipment sophisticated enough for environmental DNA testing .

Stanwell-Smit said this capability is cutting-edge for any research vessel, not a cruise ship. "This is incredibly novel," he said. It lets researchers genetically sequence biological samples right away instead of waiting months for another laboratory to do the work.

The cruise line's commitment to science attracts a certain kind of tourist, which Stanwell-Smith refers to as the "retired professor demographic."

The expedition ships cater to these educated, curious guests by letting them participate in research alongside the nine scientists on every voyage, whether to Antarctica or through the US's Great Lakes.

Guests can listen to expert lectures from the ships' resident wildlife naturalists or provide citizen scientist data about the birds they spot. Or they can get involved in what Stanwell-Smith calls "real science" by assisting on-board geochemists or oceanographers with research .

They can take a sample of phytoplankton, watch a weather balloon launch, or prepare a "bait popsicle" to help with a species-monitoring project.

Prepping the smelly bait is one of the expedition ships' most popular activities, Stanwell-Smith said. "There's a subset of our guests who want to roll up their sleeves, put a lab coat on, and just get really messy," he said.

For those who weren't experts before, Stanwell-Smith thinks the cruise will help them embrace the idea of loving what you know and protecting what you love.

"There is something very visceral about feeling you know something better by having actively done it rather than just watch somebody else or seen it on the screen," he said.

Plus, they might witness something completely new that gets written up in a scientific journal.

If you enjoyed this story, be sure to follow Business Insider on Microsoft Start.

Wreck of Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ Gets New Protections

The vessel will be preserved beneath Antarctic waters inside a sprawling restricted zone

Julia Binswanger

Daily Correspondent

Ever since the Endurance sank in 1915, famously stranding explorer  Ernest Shackleton , the vessel’s remains have been resting on the seabed off the coast of Antarctica. Now, more than a century later, the shipwreck is getting extra protection.

The  U.K. Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) and  Historic England have proposed a new  conservation management plan that will expand the site’s protection radius from 500 meters to 1,500 meters (about a mile). The wreck will remain in situ, and nobody will be allowed to remove any artifacts from inside the restricted area.

“The perimeter update is a recognition that debris from Endurance —including crew belongings—may be strewn across a larger area of ocean floor than previously thought,” reports BBC News ’ Jonathan Amos.

The Endurance ’s long journey began in 1914, when Shackleton and a crew of 27 men set out from South Georgia on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition . They hoped to cross the Antarctic continent by foot , passing the  South Pole along the way.

However, when the ship became stuck in polar pack ice, the crew had to abandon it. They spent months on the ice, watching the Endurance flounder, before Shackleton and five others embarked on a perilous 800-mile journey in a small lifeboat to seek rescue. All of the men survived.

The location of the wreckage was a mystery until 2022, when researchers discovered the vessel at the bottom of the Weddell Sea, east of the Antarctic Peninsula. Due to the cold temperatures, it was still in remarkable condition.

“ Endurance sits alongside  Titanic as one of the most famous shipwrecks in the world, and the story of Shackleton’s expedition and their remarkable rescue mission is of international significance,” says  Camilla Nichol , UKAHT’s CEO, in a statement .

The new conservation management plan, which was recently approved by the countries that are part of the Antarctic Treaty, comes amid increased concerns about the ship’s safety. “Although the wreck is a designated historic monument and its remote location in the Weddell Sea serves as a protective factor, with warming temperatures and sea ice loss, it could become increasingly vulnerable,” says UKAHT in the statement.

In addition to rising temperatures, other potential dangers include looters, cruise ships and commercial fishing vessels. The Endurance is also covered in marine life, and marine biologists are intrigued by how its presence has affected the ecosystem on the seabed.

Looking ahead, officials are also pushing for the site to be designated as an Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA), which would require “a specific permit and a really good reason” to approach the wreck, as Nichol tells the Guardian ’s Harriet Sherwood.

If the ship earns ASPA status, Nichol hopes the decision will have a ripple effect. “There are many other wrecks in the Antarctic which are far more accessible than Endurance ,” she tells BBC News, “so it could become a precedent.”

Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

Julia Binswanger | READ MORE

Julia Binswanger is a freelance arts and culture reporter based in Chicago. Her work has been featured in WBEZ,  Chicago magazine,  Rebellious magazine and  PC magazine.