17/05/2011
By Shane Gladstone
Hundreds of Britons are expected to be heading home from Sweden after the cruise ship they were travelling on was hit by a power failure, it has been revealed.
The stricken MSC Opera, carrying 2,000 passengers, has been towed through the Baltic sea by tugs sent to its rescue on Sunday.
The tugs headed for the ship, which usually sails every 10 days from Southampton, after an earlier explosion in the engine.
The news serves as a reminder to those gearing up for their holidays to make sure they have travel insurance in place.
Tim Schwabedissen, of the shipping website vesseltracker.com, said the ship had no power, "very poor hygiene" and its bathrooms were "inoperable".
After the explosion on Friday, the captain tried to continue the voyage with the one remaining main engine but "this failed", Mr Schwabedissen said.
"On May 15, tugs were called to pull the vessel to Visby where the battered vessel was due to arrive May 16 morning," he added.
"Meanwhile a team from MSC Cruises was sent to Sweden to assist the passengers."
On Sunday night MSC was unavailable to clarify the situation but issued a statement saying there were "technical problems to an electrical panel".
It said the ship was diverted towards the port of Nynamshamn, Sweden, where it was due to arrive at 11am.
"Not being able to offer to its guests the usual standards of service, MSC is organising the repatriation of all guests from Stockholm," it said in a statement.
Passengers have now been given a credit voucher for the full amount paid.
