While docked in Panama City, Panama on Tuesday, the gangway of Norwegian Encore collapsed and several guests were reported injured by the incident. Emergency responders arrived quickly on the scene, and work began immediately to clear the damaged gangway.
Gangway Collapses
Guests onboard Norwegian Encore reported hearing emergency codes announced over the ship’s loudspeakers at approximately 1:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday, November 8, while the ship was docked in Panama City, Panama.
Photos shared on social media have shown the gangway collapsed on the dock and damage to the handrails, as well as multiple ambulances responding to the accident.
Several guests were assisted via stretchers and wheelchairs to the emergency vehicles, apparently with injuries, though no names or details have been confirmed.
Cruise Hive reached out to Norwegian Cruise Line for a statement, and received this response:
“On Nov. 8, 2022, during Norwegian Encore’s call to Panama City, Panama, a guest gangway collapsed. Several guests sustained injuries and were immediately sent for treatment at a nearby medical facility. We have dispatched our CARE Team to Panama City to offer additional support to these guests. This is all of the information we have to share at this time.”
The gangway was apparently quite steep at the port and appears to have bent due to a lack of underlying support. Guests were walking across the gangway at the time of the collapse.
There is no report of damage to the cruise ship, though minor cosmetic damage is likely at the point where the gangway was attached to the vessel.
Norwegian Encore Sailing
The Breakaway-Plus-class Norwegian Encore, the largest ship in Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet, is currently on a 21-night one-way repositioning cruise.
The ship left Seattle on Sunday, October 23, 2022, having just concluded the Alaska season, and is due to arrive in Miami on Sunday, November 13, where she will be homeported for the winter, offering primarily 7-night Caribbean itineraries.
Tracking data shows the ship has now left Panama City and is transiting through the Panama Canal, en route to her next port of call in Cartagena, Colombia.
No information is available about whether the ship left port on schedule, but it does not appear there will be any delays to the remainder of the ship’s itinerary and she should arrive in Miami as planned.
The 169,116-gross-ton vessel has a guest capacity of 3,998 at double occupancy, with 1,735 crew members. The ship entered service in November 2019.
Cruise Hive has reached out to Norwegian Cruise Line for more details on this developing story, and we’ll update this post as more details are confirmed.
