Ferry passengers are fuming after their cars were allegedly damaged during a botched journey across the Gibraltar Strait.
The Balearia vessel was forced to turn back on Saturday night while attempting to leave the Cadiz port of Algeciras for the North African Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
The boat, named Ciudad de Mahon, which departed at 10pm, was forced to abort the journey after being hit by heavy seas.
The ship eventually returned to Algeciras in the early hours of the morning, following what passengers described as a long and exhausting ordeal, according to El Faro de Ceuta.
The sailing had already been delayed after a day marked by cancellations and lengthy waits at the port.
Many passengers had been waiting for hours before the night departure was finally authorised. However, once at sea, worsening conditions led the captain to turn the vessel back for safety reasons.
The situation was further complicated on arrival in Algeciras, as the ferry was unable to dock immediately due to a lack of available berths, prolonging the wait onboard.
After midnight, passengers were offered the option of remaining on the ship – with food and breakfast provided – or disembarking without any clear information on when services might resume.
The most serious issue emerged at around 3.30am, when the Ciudad de Mahon finally docked and passengers were able to access the vehicle deck.
Several drivers discovered significant damage to their cars, caused by the violent movement of the vessel during the storm.
Footage shared online from inside the vessel showed the aftermath of the incident, with a shop filmed completely wrecked.
It comes after multiple photos taken by a shipsotter in the Strait of GIbraltar showed previous journeys battling very tough conditions earlier in the day.
The photographer, who uses the handle @jr_amon_ceuta, wrote: The Ciudad de Mahón from
@Balearia. battling waves of 3 to 4 metres and an Easterly Force 7 wind (Source: AEMET) due to the #StormEmilia that is passing through the coast of Andalucía, the Strait of Gibraltar area, and Ceuta.’
