Featured Image Credit: Benjamin Talbott via Storyful
Topics: Cruise ship, Alaska
Chelsea Connor
Shocking footage shows the aftermath of an iceberg slamming into a cruise ship, with one passenger calling the situation Titanic 2.0.
Back in June 2022, the Norwegian Sun cruise ship had to abandon its itinerary and return to Seattle early after it hit a huge iceberg.
The smash that 'sounded like large doors slamming' happened during the journey while passing through waters near the the Hubbard Glacier.
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After the smash which rocked the 848-foot-long ship, it was agreed to turn the ship around at Juneau so the cruise could undergo a inspection before continuing the journey.
It was later cleared to travel at lower speeds to Seattle by authorities.
One of the 2,000 passengers onboard, Alicia Amador from Phoenix, Arizona, told the Juneau Empire how she heard a loud bang before the ship juddered on impact.
She continued: "The whole boat came to a complete stop from the impact. It was a scary experience."
Another passenger, Benjamin Talbott, noticed something happening in the water and quickly started filming.
Talbott spoke of the moment the ship rammed into the side of the iceberg, recalling: "All of a sudden, boom, the whole ship shakes. And I’m like, ‘Well, what’s going on?’
"And then I had to start recording and I looked at the front of the ship and all I see is this ... iceberg just turning over and coming down.
"And I was like, ‘Oh my God, we hit an iceberg."
The ship went in for repairs to the exterior at its home dock of Seattle.
Norwegian Cruise Line told the Daily Mail at the time: "On June 25 2022, while transiting to Hubbard Glacier, Alaska, Norwegian Sun made contact with ice.
"The ship sailed to Juneau, Alaska, where it was decided that the current voyage would be shortened.
"The ship was given clearance by the US Coast Guard and other maritime authorities to return to Seattle at reduced speed.
"All guests currently onboard will disembark in Seattle as planned."
Cruise Hive reports that the damage to the ship was minor, though the ship needed to be properly inspected to assess its condition since the impact was below the waterline.
Luckily the hull was not breached, although the cruise line carried out repairs out of an abundance of caution and cancelled two upcoming trips.
A month later the ship was ready to sail again, and by July 14 it was back ferrying passengers around the seas.
UNILAD has contacted Norwegian Cruise Line for a comment.