The Costa Deliziosa is a 92,700 tonne cruise ship, and holidaymakers along Venice’s Giardini della Bienna got an up-close look at all 294 meters of its length on a foggy, sodden weekend. Too close.
The huge vessel was being pulled along the canal by other tug boats in order to straighten itself out, narrowly avoiding hitting the dock’s edge and other smaller boats near it.
During the clip, the Costa Deliziosa’s emergency siren can be heard blasting as it desperately swerves to avoid a collision.
Authorities have now launched an investigation into the incident.
Pino Musolino, president of the Port Authority System for the northern Adriatic Sea, said in a statement: “We reserve the right to start a timely check to see if the ship has received the necessary permits. We also intend to evaluate the adoption of any further measures to ensure that ship traffic takes place in complete safety for the city.”
A Costa Deliziosa spokesperson blamed “violent gusts”. One of those cruise ships, then.