Picture a cruise ship leaving port, tugboats making a desperate attempt to stop a crash, and a strong wind with other plans. That’s the footage 7NEWS is reporting on, and it is as stressful as it sounds.
Tea TempLast updated: October 29, 2026
On October 26, 2026, Mein Schiff 3 collided with two container ships while departing Bremerhaven, Germany, for the Canary Islands. One of them was an MSC vessel.
The Tugboats Did Not Have a Good Day
7NEWS is calling the footage “dramatic,” and says it shows the tugboats’ “desperate attempt” to prevent the crash. Desperate is the word, because they didn’t succeed.
How many tugs were involved isn’t confirmed, so if you want to judge the effort yourself, the 7NEWS footage is the place to look.
Blame the Wind (For Now)
According to police, a strong wind pushed the liner into the cargo ships. That’s the official explanation so far.
A cruise ship is basically a very large, very tall sail with a restaurant inside. Wind and giant floating apartment blocks have never gotten along, and Bremerhaven just reminded everyone of that.
The Captain Is Being Investigated
Here’s where it gets pointed. Even with the wind named as the culprit, the captain is being investigated.
Let’s be fair about what that means. An investigation is not a verdict. It’s the part where people work out what was decided, when, and whether the conditions called for a different plan. We don’t have those answers yet, and anyone claiming otherwise is guessing.
The Voyage Is Off
The ship returned to the shipyard for repairs, and TUI Cruises cancelled the voyage.
Whether passengers had already boarded, and what TUI Cruises is offering affected guests, isn’t confirmed. If you’re booked on a Mein Schiff 3 sailing, TUI Cruises is the place to check for your own booking.
What We Know
- Ship: Mein Schiff 3 (TUI Cruises)
- Date: October 26, 2026
- Location: Departing Bremerhaven, Germany
- What happened: The ship collided with two container ships, including an MSC vessel, while tugboats tried to prevent the crash
- Cause: Police said a strong wind pushed the liner into the cargo ships
- Outcome: The ship returned to the shipyard for repairs, TUI Cruises cancelled the voyage to the Canary Islands, and the captain is being investigated
- Not yet confirmed: How many tugboats were involved, whether passengers were aboard, and the result of the captain’s investigation
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