One person died and two others are critical after a lifeboat detaches from the biggest cruise liner in the world.
A Filipino crewman was killed while two others were injured on Tuesday after an accident happened during a safety drill on the world’s biggest cruise liner, the Harmony of the Seas, as it was docked in southern France.
Deputy mayor Julien Ruas said the 42-year-old crewman was aboard a lifeboat when it became detached from the ship in Marseille and “fell 10 meters” (35 feet) into the water. The seafarer was with four others whose nationalities were not released.
According to the official, the two crewmen were fighting for their lives and were evacuated to a hospital in the French Mediterranean port city.
He said the authorities are still investigating the incident since it was not immediately known why the lifeboat had become detached.
A fire service spokesman said: “One person is dead and four are injured, including two whose lives are in danger.”
Based on the reports, the ship dubbed “Europe’s biggest hotel” arrived in the French port city early Tuesday from Majorca, an island in Spain.
As the biggest cruise ship in the world, Harmony of the Seas cost $1bn (£700m) and has the capacity to carry 6,780 passengers and 2,100 crew members.
It has been compared to a floating city, because it has more than 2,747 staterooms, 20 restaurants, 23 swimming pools and a park with more than 10,000 plants and 50 trees.
It also has seven neighbourhoods which include a cinema, promenade, sports and youth zones, an entertainment palace and a spa and fitness centre.
Harmony of the Seas is 362 metres (1,188 feet) long.
It is a 16-deck ship and it is bigger than the Eiffel Tower and is the widest cruise ship ever built at 65 metres (215 feet).
With the weight of 120,000 tons, the said liner operated by Florida-based Royal Caribbean only entered service in May.
On its first ever voyage, it sailed from the port of Southampton on England’s south coast to Barcelona.