German police have opened an investigation into the captain of a cruise ship that struck two container ships in Bremerhaven during stormy weather, damaging several lifeboats and forcing the cancellation of a three-week Canary Islands holiday.
The Mein Schiff 3, operated by TUI Cruises, was carrying 2,428 passengers and 922 crew, a total of 3,350 people, when the collision occurred at about 5.30pm local time on Sunday, 25 October 2026. No injuries or flooding were reported.
On Monday, Bremen’s water police confirmed that an administrative-offence procedure had been opened to examine whether the captain had breached a duty of care. The investigation does not mean wrongdoing has been established.
What happened as the cruise ship left Bremerhaven?
The nearly 295-metre-long vessel was leaving the Columbuskaje cruise terminal for La Coruña in Spain, the first stage of its Canary Islands voyage, when a strong gust caught the ship near the Stromkaje container terminal.
According to German police, the wind pushed Mein Schiff 3 towards two container vessels moored alongside the quay. Five tugboats had been deployed to assist its departure, but the cruise ship nevertheless struck the vessels.
The larger container ship has been identified as MSC Victorine. Police reported slight damage to the smaller vessel, but considerable damage to MSC Victorine and the cruise ship. Early accounts differed on whether one or two container ships had been struck, but both police and a later statement attributed to TUI Cruises confirmed two.
Lifeboats destroyed and a ten-metre tear in a container ship
Photographs taken after the accident show multiple damaged lifeboats and their launching equipment along the side of Mein Schiff 3. The ship’s exterior and areas around the bridge also suffered damage.
German public broadcaster Radio Bremen reports that MSC Victorine sustained a tear of approximately ten metres in its hull, above the waterline. The collision also damaged equipment and structures around the container ship. Police have put the overall property damage into the millions, although the final repair bill is not yet known.
Despite the serious damage, officials reported no injuries and no water entering any of the ships. Mein Schiff 3 was able to return to its berth with tugboat assistance. The vessels involved have been prevented from leaving port while assessments are carried out.
Why did the ship depart during a storm?
That question is central to the investigation. The storm system known as Manja brought rough seas and powerful winds to Germany’s North Sea coast. According to NDR, ordinary winds around the departure period were approximately 40km/h, while weather reports recorded gusts of up to 95km/h.
Bremerhaven harbour master Stephan Berger told German broadcasters that the port has no general prohibition on sailing in high winds. A pilot can advise the crew, but responsibility for determining whether departure can be carried out safely rests with the ship’s captain.
Police are examining whether the captain failed to meet the relevant duty of care. They have not publicly established what decision or action, if any, was improper. A powerful gust has been identified as the immediate trigger for the collision, but that does not by itself settle whether the departure was appropriately planned or conducted.
Canary Islands cruise cancelled
TUI Cruises confirmed on Monday that the scheduled voyage, originally due to return to Bremerhaven on 14 November, would not proceed. The company said technical teams had inspected the ship and that the damage required repairs at a shipyard.
Passengers who had spent the night on board began leaving on Monday. Local reporting said the company arranged buses and taxis to help them reach the railway station or their vehicles. Some passengers criticised the timing of communication about the cancellation; TUI Cruises had not responded to that criticism when Radio Bremen published its report.
There is no confirmed date for the vessel’s return to service. Customers should obtain any information about refunds or rebooking directly from TUI Cruises rather than relying on speculation on social media.
Watch: footage of the collision
Footage filmed from the cruise ship shows tugboats near the vessel as the gap between the ship and the container terminal narrows. The images illustrate the approach and impact, but they cannot establish the captain’s decision-making or the full cause of the accident.
Watch the collision footage on YouTube.
What remains unknown?
Investigators have yet to publish a final reconstruction of the manoeuvre, determine whether safety procedures were breached, or confirm the full repair costs and service disruption. Claims circulating online that the captain definitively lost control through negligence go further than the evidence currently supports.
Sources and further reading
- Bremen Police: original official statement on the collision (25 October 2026)
- NDR / Tagesschau: police procedure and the captain’s responsibility (26 October 2026)
- Radio Bremen: eyewitness accounts, lifeboat damage, harbour master and voyage cancellation (26 October 2026)
- Seatrade Cruise News: TUI Cruises statement, ship identification and repair plans (26 October 2026)
