Terrifying footage shows 100-foot waves crashing over the luxury Atlas World Voyager cruise ship as it navigates a fierce storm with 115 mph winds off the coast of Antarctica

Terrifying new footage has emerged of a luxury cruise ship experiencing a fierce storm off the coast of Antarctica, capturing the moment waves measuring nearly 100 feet (30 meters) wrecked the ship and swamped the deck with icy seawater.

The cruise ship Atlas World Voyager was traversing the Drake Passage – the place where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet between the southern tip of South America and Antarctica – when it was hit by a massive storm.

Winds of up to 185 km/h roiled the sea, causing 30-metre waves to crash into the luxury yacht during the perilous journey on December 2, 2023.

The heartbreaking clip, taken from the deck, shows the yacht being lifted to the crest of huge waves before capsizing and plummeting several floors.

Tables, chairs, deck chairs and all kinds of other rubbish were floating around after the deck was swamped by the deluge.

Fortunately, the crew skillfully navigated the treacherous waters and the yacht reached its destination – Ushuaia in southern Argentina – without sustaining major damage.

Tables, chairs, deck chairs and all kinds of other rubbish were floating around after the deck was swamped by the deluge

“It was the toughest crossing many crew and staff had ever had… We returned safely to Ushuaia accompanied by our expert captain,” said one tourist.

World Voyager – the latest luxury yacht to join the Atlas Ocean Voyages fleet

Tourist Rich Bush, who was on board the yacht and was forced to brave the storm in the Drake Passage, said: ‘We had strong winds gusting at 115 miles per hour. Also 10 meters of waves and one wave that washed over bridge level. The captain estimated it to be 100 feet.

“It was the toughest crossing many crew and staff had ever had… Returned safely to Ushuaia accompanied by our expert captain,” he wrote on Facebook.

World Voyager, the most modern and advanced addition to the Atlas Ocean Voyages fleet, is specially designed to handle such harsh conditions.

With a length of 130 meters and a weight of almost 10,000 tons, the decadent yacht has more than just luxurious equipment.

It has been specially designed to sail the toughest seas, with state-of-the-art retractable fins designed by Rolls Royce providing extra stabilization when traversing an angry churning ocean.

World Voyager is also equipped with a top-of-the-line sonar system that allows it to navigate through potentially dangerous polar regions.

Despite the unforgiving environment, the yacht was able to traverse the Drake Passage without incident.

The same cannot be said of MS Maud, a Norwegian cruise ship that was sailing through the North Sea just days before Christmas when a freak wave hit the ship with such force that it lost power and was left adrift.

MS Maud was sailing about 160 miles off the west coast of Denmark and about 220 miles off the east coast of Britain when the monster wave shattered the windows of the bridge.

The ship, which was carrying 400 passengers and crew, had embarked on a 14-day Northern Lights expedition from Tilbury on December 9 and was due to return to Essex port on December 23.

Dramatic images obtained by MailOnline show the exact moment the wave hit, making the ship impossible to navigate and having to be towed to Germany.

One passenger, who was filming the bridge camera at the time, captured the moment the ‘rogue wave’ struck MS Maud

Terrifying footage shows how the huge wave crashed into the Norwegian ship, causing a power outage

MS Maud (pictured) had embarked on a 14-day Northern Lights expedition from Tilbury, UK, on ​​December 9 and was due to return to Essex port on December 23.

The passenger who filmed the moment said: ‘I showed the bridge camera on the TV to try and stop the dizziness and randomly decided to film it!

‘As soon as the wave hit, the TV screen went black and the distress signal from the ship’s horn sounded, so I knew something was wrong.’

The holidaymaker, who expected it to be a ‘tough ride’ after overcoming several more big waves, described passengers, permanent tables and chairs being sent flying.

Another passenger, Betty Little, was traveling with her 96-year-old mother Jessie when the wave hit. She praised the crew for their response as they are both disabled and needed extra support amid the panic.

Mrs Little told MailOnline: ‘When we had to go to the collection stations we received help almost immediately. One crew member, with the further assistance of four others, helped my mother down the stairs on her back, and I was helped by two people. We were given help putting on our survival gear and made as comfortable as possible.

“Later, water was provided, cans of Coca-Cola and ginger ale, and sandwiches. Absolutely amazing crew!’

Other stomach-churning footage shared by passengers showed how choppy the conditions were, with the ship rocking aggressively up and down as it was buffeted by huge waves.