A passenger onboard the Spirit of Discovery died after the cruise ship was hit by strong winds.

The man died of his injuries after force 11 winds struck the ship in the Bay of Biscay last year.

More than 100 guests were injured in the storm on November 4 2023, with eight being taken to hospital when the ship arrived in Portsmouth.

An interim report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said one of the passengers treated in hospital later died from their injuries.

The report said there were 943 passengers and 503 crew onboard when the ship - which sailed from Puerto del Rosario in Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands - faced force 11 winds and a sea state rated eight for very high.

It read: “At about 12.30 on November 4 2023, the passenger vessel Spirit of Discovery lost propulsion in heavy weather while crossing the Bay of Biscay.

“This led to the vessel moving violently while the crew restarted the vessel’s propulsion.

“The propulsion issues, storm force conditions and vessel motions continued until the following morning when Spirit of Discovery was able to continue its passage.

“During this period over 100 passengers were injured. Eight of the seriously injured passengers were taken directly to hospital on arrival at Portsmouth, England, one of whom later died from their injuries.”

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Prior to the incident, the Spirit of Discovery, operated by Saga Cruises, had to cancel a visit to Las Palmas as the weather worsened and was instead heading towards La Corona when that port was closed because of the conditions.

The ship’s crew took the decision to return to the UK when the ship’s propulsion safety system was activated in the poor weather causing it to veer suddenly to the left, bringing the vessel to a sudden halt.

The report continued: “The MAIB’s investigation has considered all aspects of the accident to determine the causes and circumstances of Spirit of Discovery’s loss of propulsion in heavy weather and the onboard response, including analysis of the vessel’s intended passage, preparations for operating in heavy weather, the onboard response to passenger injuries and damage, and the medical treatment of injured passengers.”

The investigation is nearly complete, and a full report will then be issued for consultation with the parties involved.

Saga Cruises said in a statement following the incident: “Spirit of Discovery was sadly caught in the challenging weather conditions this weekend, as she started her return to the UK.

“The ship remained safe at all times but, due to the impact of the storm, some guests sustained injuries.

“All were treated immediately by onboard medical staff.

“While the weather is clearly beyond our control, we want to offer our sincere apologies to all those affected who are now safely back, having sailed home in calmer seas.”

A spokeswoman for Saga said all guests on the trip had been offered a full refund and added: “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with the family of our guest who died following the storm in the Bay of Biscay last year.

“We are continuing to work with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch, supporting their investigation.”