In September 2010 while headed for Barcelona, Cunard Line's (www.cunard.com)Queen Mary 2 drifted at sea for an hour without power after an engine room electrical problem caused an explosion, according to the U.K.’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).That government safety agency has issued its final report on the accident. While emergency generators started automatically after the explosion, Queen Mary 2 had no propulsion power for manuevering.
Fortunately, the ship was in open water, not approaching any port, and no passengers or crew were injured in the accident.
However MAIB wrote in the report that a somewhat similar technical problem with the ship’s electrical system occurred a few months later at a time when Queen Mary 2 was approaching port.
While no explosion occurred and no one was hurt in that second incident either, “losing control of a large cruise liner due to electrical blackout, with 3,823 people onboard, is a serious concern,” MAIB wrote in its report.
Recommendations for changes needed to avoid a similar situation in the future have already been implemented by Carnival Corporation, Cunard Line’s parent firm, the MAIB also said.
The 73-page report is highly technical in nature, but available for those wishing to learn more at http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/QM2Webreport.pdf