Princess Anastasia ferry accidents and incidents

06 May 2020Other Incidents

Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) travel restrictions in Europe, the cruiseferry suspended its regular schedule on the Baltic Sea route between Sweden and Russia (Stockholm-Helsinki-Tallinn-St Petersburg).

On May 6, 2020, the cruise ship operator Moby SPL (subsidiary of MOBY LINES) officially announced that it had signed a charter deal for Princess Anastasia to be used as a floating hotel in Murmansk (Arctic Russia). On May 8, the ship arrived at the new shipyard facility (outside Port Murmansk) and started to provide housing for local Coronavirus response efforts. Over 2000 (out of total 11000) workers at Novatek's Belokamenka Yard tested Coronavirus-positive.

One of Belokamenka Yard's primary contractors - Velesstroy (Moscow-based construction company) said it had partially suspended works at the site because of the pandemic. Velesstroy's workers carried out a 2-week self-quarantine and after testing negative (3 times) were allowed to return home.

Belokamenka is where Novatek (Russia's largest privately-owned natural gas company) is building Kola Yard - supply base to support Russia's Arctic LNG-2 project (in Ob Bay, Siberia) which is served by Yamal LNG vessels (ice-breaking gas tanker ships).

06 November 2019Ship Grounding

On November 6, 2019, at ~6 pm, the cruise ship ran aground near Stockholm (Sweden). The accident was caused by a power outage that resulted in lost of propulsion and drifting. The vessel was carrying a total of 1065 passengers. No injuries were reported.

The Swedish Coast Guard dispatched rescue teams to the scene and a tugboat to tow the ship back to Port Stockholm for hull inspections. Princess Anastasia was en-route from Stockholm to Saint Petersburg (via Helsinki).

29 August 2006Crew / Passenger Deaths

(Pride of Bilbao) On August 29, 2006, the ferry was among all 5 vessels inspected by UK's MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch) as part of agency's investigation about a collision accident. It occurred on August 20 (off the Isle of Wight) and resulted in the sinking and the deaths of all men on the 25-foot yacht Ouzo, who died from drowning.

MAIB agents and UK Police officers inspected the ship's hull and logbook. Previously, the ship operator P&O handed all the information from the vessel's data recorder, which led to the following hull inspection. The hull was inspected again in Portsmouth (September 7).

On September 20, a Pride of Bilbao crew (Michael Hubble, working on the ship as Second Mate) was arrested on suspicion for manslaughter caused through gross negligence. The man was released on bail than in February 2007 arrested again and charged.

MAIB's accident report was released on April 12, 2007, stating that yacht's sinking was due to Pride of Bilbao ferry's collision with the boat (or passing dangerously close resulting in either swamping or capsizing.

Michael Hubble's trial started on October 28, 2007, at Winchester Crown Court. The man was accused that in the time of the accident, being in sole charge of the ship, he failed to act properly. He failed to inform ferry's Captain of the accident, also didn't stop the ship and didn't launch a rescue boat. All of the yachtsmen's bodies were found with life-vests. He was cleared of manslaughter charges on December 12, and on December 13 all charges of misconduct were also dropped.