Inside a storm-hit cruise ship in the North Sea: British couple recounts terrifying moment 70-foot waves crashed into the British ship with 400 men on board as it lost power and ran aground

A British grandmother and grandfather became stuck in the middle of the North Sea after huge waves crashed into their cruise ship.

Brian Launder, 75, was on board the MS Maud with his wife Carole to celebrate her 70th birthday on their first ever cruise.

The ship was a Norwegian ship that takes tourists along parts of the coastline where larger, traditional boats cannot reach.

Now the couple fear they won’t make it home in time for Christmas after 70-foot waves caused by Storm Pia damaged the boat and left passengers stranded.

MS Maud departed Tilbury Docks on 9 December but encountered rough waters and lost its engine power and all navigation equipment on 21 December.

Brian Launder, 75, and his wife Carole, 70, on board the MS Maud next to a Christmas show before the storm hit

Mr Launder, from Richmond, North Yorkshire, said he saw waves reaching their cabin window despite being on deck floor five and water rushing through the corridors.

He said: ‘We thought we would be here at Christmas. At one point they were preparing the lifeboats.

‘We left on December 9. The finish would be on December 23.

‘We spent many hours without power.

‘We were talking to the officers and they estimated the waves were fifteen to twenty meters high.

MS Maud set sail from Tilbury Docks on 9 December but encountered rough waters and lost its engine power, along with all navigation equipment

Passengers in life jackets brace themselves into seats aboard the MS Maud. Mr Launder said at one point lifeboats were being prepared

‘The waves came to our window on deck five. We were worried when the water came through the door.”

The trip was aborted to avoid the storm, but strong winds overtook them, causing high waves to wipe away the ship’s power.

Mr Launder added: ‘My wife was so calm, she helped this lady.

‘She solved it. We were afraid that we would be here for Christmas, we didn’t know what would happen. We lost power on the engines.’

“We’ve lost all communication and navigation.”

‘A fishing boat pulled up and tried to help with communications.

“A gingerbread house has been knocked down. A table had been destroyed. There were chairs damaged and tables on the floor.”

More scenes of damage after the storm on the cruise ship. The ship became stranded at sea due to the extreme weather

The waves were estimated to be as high as 20 meters and reached the fifth floor deck

Despite the treacherous conditions, fortunately only one person was injured, Mr Launder said.

He continued, “She had a baby in her arms, but she was flying.

“Captain had to move the bridge to the passenger lounge because three windows were blown out by a wave.

‘The ship was controlled from the engine room. There was a rescue ship alongside that provided navigation.’

The cruise ship was towed back to Bremerhaven. Brian and Carole had to travel back to Hamburg at 3am today for an early morning flight to Frankfurt and then finally back to the UK.

The couple land at Heathrow at 3.45pm but they fear they will not make it back to their son’s home in time for Christmas.

The grandad-of-four added: ‘Apart from the drama we actually quite enjoyed it.

‘We’ve never been on a cruise ship before. I would definitely go there again, the crew was fantastic.

‘It went in and around all the passages in Norway and all the small places where large cruise ships cannot go.

‘We have to fly from Hamburg tomorrow morning at 10am. Then from Frankfurt to Heathrow at 3.45pm, then to Tilbury for the car and then on to Worcestershire.

“We knew a storm was coming, we just didn’t know it would be this bad.”