The cruise ship Discovery Princess broke free from its mooring lines due to unexpectedly strong winds at the port of San Francisco, causing a gangway to fall into the water. Fortunately, all passengers and crew remained safe, with no reported injuries.

The incident occurred at Pier 27 when strong side winds, with gusts reaching 34 mph, caused three stern lines to snap, sending the 1,080-foot-long cruise ship drifting toward Pier 23. Eyewitnesses described hearing shouting as the crew worked to regain control of the vessel. To prevent further movement, the crew decided to release a thicker stern line, minimizing the ship’s angle against the wind while firing up its engines to slowly maneuver it back to the dock.

“I heard shouting and what sounded like gunshots—it was the Discovery Princess breaking away,” said one witness. “The crew responded quickly, and thankfully, there were no injuries.”

A nearby passenger aboard the Holland America Line ship Koningsdam, which was also docked at the port, reported that their vessel had faced similar challenges the previous day. According to an onboard announcement from the Koningsdam’s captain, a pier bollard had failed, pulling out completely after securing the ship’s bow lines. As a result, the ship began drifting, and a gangway detached. Crew members acted quickly to stabilize the ship using thrusters and an anchor drop to prevent a potential collision with another pier.

“With strong winds continuing, they made the decision to run thrusters to hold the ship firmly against the dock,” the passenger said. “That good decision was just reinforced—the ship next to us, Discovery Princess, just snapped her rear lines and started drifting.”

Despite the chaotic moments, swift action by the crew and port officials prevented any damage or injuries. The Discovery Princess has since been secured at the pier, and operations at the port have returned to normal.

Photo credit: Eric Del Sesto