Passengers on the cruise ship Carnival Dream reported an incident involving one of the vessel’s lifeboats last week while the ship was at anchor off Cozumel, Mexico. According to eyewitnesses, the lifeboat detached from its davits and fell into the water; photos from the scene show visible structural damage to the bow of the boat.
According to Cruise Hive, the lifeboat fell from the starboard side, facing the pier. It dropped into the water and was carried by the current toward the quay, where it was later recovered. Part of the bow structure reportedly remained hanging from the falls for some time.
In a statement to Cruise Hive, a Carnival spokesperson said the Carnival Dream crew was conducting a lifeboat lowering test when a latch caught on one of the cables, causing the lifeboat to hang by one end before it finally dropped into the sea.
This is the second time Carnival Dream has lost a stowed lifeboat and the second time photos have shown damage to the bow section. The previous incident occurred on 30 December 2018 while the ship was in the Gulf of Mexico; in that case, the lifeboat was successfully recovered by the crew.
On Carnival Dream, the lifeboat davits are mounted directly over the water rather than above a promenade deck, meaning the falling lifeboat was not positioned over passenger walkways and did not pose a direct risk to people on deck. No injuries have been reported in connection with the latest incident.
Lifeboats: historically one of the most dangerous systems on board
For decades, lifeboats have been among the most hazardous pieces of equipment on merchant ships. They are linked to hundreds of fatalities, and by some estimates have been involved in around one in every six seafarer deaths.
The highest risk arose during drills, when a loaded lifeboat accidentally detached in mid-air because of human error or equipment failure. In such cases, the crew inside often suffered serious injuries or died upon impact with the water.
Safety improved after the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) in 2009 formally allowed a safer training practice: lowering lifeboats into the water with no one on board during certain drills. This change is widely believed to have saved countless lives, significantly reducing the risks associated with lifeboat exercises.
