Celebrity Solstice narrowly avoids wiping out stricken boat

Jan 10, 2019

Four youngsters on inflatable boat had a frighteningly close call with the 122,000 tonne cruise ship Celebrity Solstice in Tauranga Harbour, Australia. The Bay of Plenty Regional Council posted the video showing the Celebrity Cruises ship leaving the Port of Tauranga on December 14, when a small rubber boat run out of fuel.

The video shows a tiny boat with four people on board floating in the channel as the giant cruise ship bears down on it.

Luckily Celebrity Solstice managed to alter its course and the bow of the ship passed within 5 meters or 16 feet, of the small boat as two other boats zoom in for rescue. One of the boats rushed to help and towed the inflatable boat out of the way, as the bulk of the cruise ship passes by.

In order to keep a safe distance from large cruise ships the following rules apply for small boats: Keep clear 50m to each side of a ship and 500m ahead. Luckily no one was injured from this close call.