ms La Belle des Oceans accidents and incidents

25 November 2019Ship Grounding

On November 25, 2019, during low tide the cruise ship ran aground near Phi Phi Island (Thailand). The accident resulted in hull damages and the vessel started taking on water after the hull was breached (midship section portside). No injuries were reported.

The ship (carrying a total of 79 passengers plus 70 crew) was en-route from Koh Lanta Island to Phuket when it struck and became stuck on an underwater rock southeast of Koh Phi Phi. The rock was not mapped on the nautical charts.

Thailand's Coast Guard Squadron (part of Royal Thai Navy) dispatched from Cape Panwa the patrol ship HTMS Sriracha to assist the cruise vessel and tow it to Port Phuket (arriving at ~10 am) for damage assessment and hull repairs. All the 79 CroisiEurope cruisers (78 French, 1 German) were accommodated overnight at Novotel Phuket Phokeethra (Phuket City) and on the next day flown from Phuket to Singapore for their home flights.

31 July 2004Ship Grounding

(Clipper Odyssey) On July 31, 2004, while navigating in the Aleutian Islands (Alaska), the ship ran aground near Dutch Harbor (Amaknak Island, Unalaska). As the hull sustained serious damages, all the 153 passengers and the crew were evacuated and transferred to other ships. The accident also resulted in sea pollution as around 5000 gallons of MGO (marine gasoil) leaked from the vessel's ruptured fuel tank. 

No injuries were reported. The vessel freed itself with the tide on August 1, proceeding on its own power to Unalaska. Due to needed drydock repairs, the Alaskan cruise itineraries August 15 and August 26 were cancelled.

The ship returned to service on October 1, 2004, leaving from Papeete (Haiti Island, French Polynesia).

31 July 2002Ship Grounding

(Clipper Odyssey) On July 31, 2002, the ship ran aground on the uninhabited St Matthew Island (Alaska), with a total of 106 passengers plus 78 crew, As the attempts to free itslef by using the propulsion only failed, the crew shifted water from the aft balast tanks and also deployed the stern anchor to be able to afloat.  No hull damages or sea pollution were reported.