A luxury cruise ship worth US$22 million (approximately RM94 million) dramatically toppled over after being battered by powerful typhoon-driven winds and high tides in Wenzhou, eastern China.
The Mingzhu Qihao, also known as Pearl No. 7, was moored along the Ou River when it began listing before eventually toppling over at around 8.10pm on July 14, according to local officials.
Authorities said the incident occurred as Typhoon Bavi lashed the region with strong winds reportedly reaching up to 180mph (290km/h) and unusually high tides.
The vessel, measuring 158 metres long and 30 metres wide, was built in 2012 and had been intended to operate as a luxury floating hotel.
Emergency services arrived at the scene shortly after the incident. Fortunately, there were no passengers or crew on board at the time, and no injuries were reported.
A spokesperson for Wenzhou Mingzhu Cruise Company said the vessel had been moored at the Yangfushan Puxi platform when it tilted during a tidal surge.
“We immediately activated our emergency response plan, and the relevant authorities arrived quickly to handle the situation,” the spokesperson said, adding that the exact cause remains under investigation.
The seven-storey vessel has remained largely unused for the past 14 years after repeated delays to plans to convert it into a five-star floating hotel featuring luxury suites and restaurants.
Previous attempts to relocate the ship also faced opposition from local residents, while technical and financial problems repeatedly postponed the project’s launch.
The latest incident has renewed attention on the vessel’s troubled history. In 2012, shortly after it was completed, the ship became stuck beneath Wenzhou Bridge after it was discovered to be too tall to pass underneath.
Authorities are continuing investigations into what caused the ship to shift and capsize during the typhoon-driven tidal surge.
