A UK government investigation into the death of one cruise passenger and injuries to dozens more during a storm at sea in 2023 is highly critical of the actions taken by shipboard officials and medical staff.

An accident report published on March 11, 2026, by the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) revealed the details of a weather emergency that impacted Saga Cruises’ Spirit of Discovery as the ship sailed a Canary Islands cruise roundtrip from Portsmouth, England, on October 24, 2023.

The violent weather, which included 10-meter waves (32 feet) and strong winds, hit while the 58,250-gross-ton ship was crossing the Bay of Biscay.

One guest, 85-year-old Trevor Gilks, died from injuries he sustained during the storm, but the MAIB report puts the blame on the ship’s medical staff, who it says provided “suboptimal treatment.”

More than 100 guests were treated for injuries, including fractured hips and ribs, a shoulder injury, head trauma, and spinal injury. It was a spinal injury that claimed Gilks, and the accident report details a lack of sufficient care by the onboard medical team.

According to the report, Gilks was sitting in a high-back chair when the ship violently rolled by 10 to 13 degrees, causing him to fall backward, severely injuring his neck.

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Gilks was taken to the ship’s medical center, where an X-ray was taken of his neck and emailed to an onshore radiologist. The specialist was unable to say whether his spine was damaged or broken. No additional X-rays were taken and transmitted ashore.

Due to the storm, a helicopter evacuation was not possible, so Gilks did not receive hospital care until the ship returned to Portsmouth. He died four days after his injury.

Findings Point to  ‘Overstretched’ Medical Team

MAIB’s report indicates two medical determinations: The lack of implementation of a mass casualty incident plan contributed to the medical team becoming overstretched, and the delay in identifying that a passenger had suffered a spinal injury led to him receiving suboptimal treatment.

“While cruising remains safe and accidents rare, Spirit of Discovery’s violent motion in heavy weather caused injury to over 100 passengers and, very sadly, one passenger lost their life as a result of injuries sustained,” said Rob Loder, chief inspector of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch.

“A complex sequence of events led to this accident and we have identified a number of clear lessons around vessel safety, crew decision-making and medical response,” added Loder.

According to the report’s findings, Spirit of Discovery lost propulsion due to violent motion, which caused propeller exposure, overspeed, and automatic shutdown. Also, the decision to cross the Bay of Biscay during the storm was not effectively managed by the crew and onshore management, it added.

A Closed Port Prompts an Unlucky Route Change

On the fifth day of the 14-day voyage, the report revealed, the ship’s captain and Saga’s shore team began discussing the approaching storm. Three days later, the decision was made to skip the itinerary’s final Canary Islands port call, to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and sail instead to La Coruna, Spain, on November 4. The ship would then continue on to Portsmouth on November 5.

However, on November 3, as Spirit of Discovery sailed past Portugal’s southern coast, it was learned that the port of La Coruna had closed due to the weather. At that point, the captain decided to sail directly to Portsmouth, arriving there on November 6, a day earlier than scheduled.

Among the recommendations from MAIB are two that were specifically made to Cruise Lines International Association. One, that cruise ships should increase the number of medical personnel with an Advanced Trauma Life Support qualification, and two, that passenger vessels should update their policies on securing furniture in heavy weather.

While the report reads like a lawyer’s dream document, given the placement of blame and the exacting details of crew and medical staff actions, it also specifically notes that it is not written with litigation in mind.

In fact, its contents are deemed inadmissible in any judicial proceedings whose purpose is to attribute liability or blame.

Lawsuits brought by injured cruise guests are common across the industry. In a recent case, three people sued Carnival Cruise Lines for negligence after they were injured when a tender boat experienced turbulent conditions.

It is not only injuries that prompt lawsuits; more than 100 guests who became ill while sailing on a P&O Cruises’ ship in 2024 are suing the line for compensation.

Spirit of Discovery accommodates 1,000 guests and 530 crew members. The ship entered service in 2019 and sails European cruises year-round from Portsmouth and Dover, England.