Celebrity Equinox Drifts from Moorings During Embarkation in Buenos Aires: What You Need to Know

During the early stages of embarkation for a 14-night cruise from Buenos Aires, Argentina, the cruise ship Celebrity Equinox encountered a navigational incident when its mooring lines failed due to rising wind conditions. As wind speeds increased to approximately 40 mph (65 kph), the tension on the lines exceeded their capacity, causing the vessel to drift away from its berth.

The bow of the Equinox swung outward, making contact with both the adjacent pier and a refueling vessel moored alongside, resulting in a noticeable scrape on the ship’s port side. In response, boarding operations were immediately halted as a gangway detached from the dock and fell into the water. This incident required the crew to re-secure the ship and install a replacement gangway before passengers could continue to board.

Tugboats were called in to regain control of the Equinox and reposition it alongside the berth. Following safety checks on the hull of the ship, it remained in port overnight to ensure its seaworthiness and to make the necessary adjustments for the delayed departure. Thankfully, there were no injuries reported among passengers, crew, or port personnel during the incident. The ship ultimately departed the harbor the following morning without further incident.

Though the delay slightly adjusted the schedule for the next port call in Montevideo, Uruguay, tracking data and passenger reports indicated that the rest of the Equinox’s South America itinerary—including visits to Patagonia and around Cape Horn—remained on track.

While mooring line failures in adverse weather conditions are rare, the prompt actions by the port team and the crew of the Equinox helped to prevent more severe repercussions from the situation.

For more on incidents involving the Celebrity Equinox, check out its CruiseMinus page.

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