Norwegian cruise ship loses power after it was hit by rogue wave in North Sea

A Norwegian cruise ship with more than 250 passengers on board lost power on Thursday, Dec. 21, after the vessel encountered a rogue wave during a storm, the cruise company HX said.

The MS Maud sustained a temporary loss of power while sailing to Tilbury, England, from Florø, Norway, HX said in a statement to NBC News. No serious injuries were reported among the 266 passengers and 131 crew members, according to HX.

"The condition of the ship remains stable and the crew are able to sail under their own power," a spokesperson for HX said.

The Danish Joint Rescue Coordination Centre said in a statement to NBC News the ship's crew is navigating the vessel manually via emergency systems, and that two civilian support ships are helping to navigate the waters in the North Sea.

HX said after following ongoing safety checks and technical assessments, the company amended the ship's planned route to sail to Bremerhaven, Germany, for disembarkation.

"Our team are working to arrange onward travel back home for guests onboard," a spokesperson for the company said.

The storm's hurricane-force winds smashed windows on the MS Maud, and passengers aboard described the frightening situation.

Dorothy Hallam, a passenger on board, wrote on social media, "We've been sat on the floor in our muster stations for hours wearing our safety suits and life jackets and there's no sign of us being allowed up any time soon. We were thrown about a lot."

Ian Roberts, another passenger, wrote on Facebook about the unexpected change in holiday plans.

"Sorry for those whose Christmas treat has been spoiled. However, crew on board Maud have been exemplary in looking after us in what was initially quite a tricky situation," Roberts said.

The MS Maud isn't the first ship to encounter rough seas in the North Sea — dramatic videos of huge waves crashing in the area have become a source of fascination on TikTok.

While the waters of the North Sea can be turbulent, marine experts said it's generally safe for the hundreds of thousands of ships that pass through every year.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com