Ruby Princess cruise ship visibly damaged after hitting Pier 27 in San Francisco while docking
Princess Cruise says that the Ruby Princess hit Pier 27 in San Francisco while docking, causing damage to the ship and the dock.
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Ruby Princess cruise ship hit Pier 27 in San Francisco while docking Thursday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard says.
The Coast Guard says there is damage to both the ship's hull and the dock.
In a statement, Princess Cruise described the collision as "unexpected contact" as they were docking just after 6 a.m.
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Officials are assessing the damage, and it is unclear on whether there will be delays for the ship's 4 p.m. re-departure for Alaska. While that departure time is still being determined, Princess Cruises says passengers are starting to board at 11:30 a.m.
Thursday morning, the ship had 3,328 guests on board with 1,159 crew members and was completing a 10-day cruise to Alaska that left San Francisco on June 26.
"I noticed we were spinning pretty quick, to be that close to the dock, and I was mid-ship, portside, looked out the window and we smacked into the dock," Sacramento resident and passenger Paul Zasso told ABC7 News.
Passengers still on board and those on the ground were trying to get a glimpse of the damage.
"It was surreal and you could definitely feel it," Sacramento resident and passenger Jeremy Jordan told ABC7 News. "It wasn't like things falling off the shelves or anything like that, kind of like when you get the tugboats coming up against us. So yeah... it was different."
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While on scene, ABC7 News watched as San Francisco police surveyed the ship.
In a statement, Princess Cruises reported no injuries, adding, "At no time were any guests or crew in danger."
"It was so funny, because one of the dock guys, you can hear him yell out like 'whoa' and then you can kind of hear it just slowly going in... and when he came back out, I wasn't sure what to see," Jordan added.
The shouting from the dock worker is what woke up Jordan's wife. The couple, avid cruisegoers, said Thursday morning's experience is one he won't soon forget.
"It's ironic, because I think it was yesterday the captain was talking about how he goes into docks and how unpredictable the currents are," Jordan shared. "So yeah, it's a challenge for them to be able to do that."
The investigation is now in the hands of the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal agencies who were notified about the early morning incident.
While the specific departure time for the Ruby Princess' next trip to Alaska is still being determined the upcoming 10-day roundtrip voyage to Alaska is still being determined, embarkation of passengers will begin at 11:30am PT
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Source: KGO-TV
