Silversea’s Silver Explorer cruise ship suffered damage on January 12, 2013 while sailing the Drake Passage to Antarctica from the port of Ushuaia, Argentina.  Four crew members were injured in the incident and were treated in the ship’s infirmary.

News sources say that a large wave struck the cruise ship and knocked out a window on the ship’s bridge at a height of at least 30 feet above the waterline.

The small expedition cruise ship carried 133 passengers and 113 crew members. The cruise line Cruise Ship - Silver Explorerstated that four crew members suffered injuries and were treated at the medical center of the ship.

Silversea is not saying much else except the usual PR comments that everything is fine.  It will be interesting to hear the passengers’ version of what happened.

The next cruise scheduled for January 21st has been canceled.  The cruise line states that the Silver Explorer should back to its normal schedule of cruises to Antarctica trip on January 31st.

Cruises to Antarctica, or to the Arctic, are not for the timid. Rough weather, high winds and big waves are to be expected  Check out the Clelia II cruise ship in distress in Antarctica which has been viewed over 350,000 times on our YouTube page. It made our top 5 cruise ship disaster videos. There have been a number of incidents where cruise ships to the polar regions have lost power, suffered smashed windows, run into rocks, and have even capsized:

The Clelia II – Another Antarctic Cruise Ship Skirts Disaster 

Clipper Adventurer Cruise Ship Runs Aground in the Arctic

The Clelia II Skirts Disaster Again in Antarctica

Another Near Disaster in Antarctica: Polar Star Runs Aground

M/V Plancius Adventure Cruise Ship Stranded in South Atlantic

Who’s Responsible When a Cruise Ship Sinks in Antarctica?

Were you on the Silver Explorer and have info, photos or video to share?  Please let us hear from you.