HORNBLOWER HITS PIER

Posted on 04/08/2016 | About San Diego, California

People waiting on the waterfront in San Diego for the Adventure Hornblower to come in took a while to realize that the vessel was not slowing down. As it approached the shore a succession of horns alerted people to vacate the area as the 45.72 meter (150 ft) excursion ship drove into the pier (watch the video).

The incident which was caught on video showed an elderly woman just getting out of the way in time. 

The Adventure Hornblower is used for whale and dolphin excursions. It suffered a malfunction that prevented it from stopping when it reached the pier. It was removed by a tugboat for investigation. 

San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Captain Joe Amador said seven people were injured, three of whom were taken to local hospitals. The company stated, "Throughout the year Hornblower vessels typically make 150,000 landings without incident. "The Adventure Hornblower, which was built in East Boothbay, Maine, is fully certified by the US Coast Guard and has been used daily for whale watching and harbor cruises for over 15 years." 

"With safety as our first priority there will of course be a thorough investigation in cooperation with the US Coast Guard."