Boston Harbor cruise ship loses control, strikes several boats

BOSTON (WHDH) - A Boston Harbor cruise ship with more than 300 passengers on board struck six sailboats after losing control in Boston Harbor Thursday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

A mechanical failure caused the captain of the Odyssey ship to lose control of the vessel just after 11 a.m. before hitting the boats, officials said.

“Odyssey experienced a brief loss of throttle control as she departed from her dock,” an Odyssey spokesperson said. “The Captain took immediate action to minimize the drift backwards into the mooring field, where the vessel, unfortunately, made minor contact with boats at anchor.

Several students from the Day Middle School in Newton were on the ship for a field trip during the incident, while a separate party was taking place.

“It was like really scary,” said Marlena Spataro, who was on the boat to celebrate her eighth-grade graduation. “We were on the top deck of the boat and they made us get down to the first and second levels because the sails from the sailboats were starting to come down and they didn’t want us to get hit by the sailboats.”

Vernon Fritch, an instructor with the Boston Sailing Club, was forced to jump from one boat into another to avoid the oncoming ship.

“It actually backed into us,” he said. “It pushed both boats back about 100 feet into the moorings.”

Officials say 328 people were on board but nobody got hurt.

Don Symington, the owner of a boat rental business on the harbor, heard the Odyssey’s horn sound five times as it traveled through the water in reverse.

“Somehow, they were not able to get it out of reverse and the boat just kept going with seemingly no way to stop it,” he said. “The people on the boat were screaming.”

The party went on as planned after the ship returned to the dock, officials added.

Tricia Cha, the mother of a passenger on the boat, said her daughter rolled with the commotion.

“She just texted and I said are you guys docked? She said yeah, we never left, we went out, hit a couple of boats and turned around. Not getting off yet cause we’re having too much fun.”

The captain of the ship was tested for possible alcohol consumption.

“The Coast Guard, Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts Environmental Police and Boston Fire Department immediately responded to ensure no one was hurt,” said Captain Claudia Gelzer, Sector Boston Captain of the Port. “We are investigating the cause to prevent future accidents.”

A spokesperson for the Odyssey added that, “Our marine crew have identified the cause of the malfunction and are making the necessary repair to ready the ship for its return to service.”

The Coast Guard is investigating the incident. The ship was inspected Friday morning.

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