In what must be one of the most frightening cruise line excursions on record, 38 passengers from a recent cruise had to be rescued when their small excursion boat capsized on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
While calling in Cartagena, Colombia, during a 14-night voyage aboard AIDA Cruises’ AIDAbella, 36 German and 2 Colombian passengers went into the Caribbean Sea. Strong winds and high winds overturned the small vessel they were sailing in during a routine excursion to Isla Baru.
The island, located an hour south of Cartagena, is renowned for its white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters.
But guests received a bit too much Caribbean Sea and sun that day. Weather conditions showed temperatures reached nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind speeds rapidly growing and reaching a high of nearly 20 miles per hour around 3 p.m.
Video footage captured the passengers in the water with nearby Good Samaritans rushing to pull the panicked guests from the sea.
All 38 people on the overturned vessel were rescued and safely returned to the 69,203-gross-ton AIDAbella ahead of its 5 p.m. departure. There were no reports of injuries.
The certainly shock-struck guests are currently enjoying hopefully a less eventful day in Philipsburg, St, Maarten, on March 24.
They and up to 2,050 guests aboard AIDAbella will continue to St. Kitts, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbados before the cruise ends in Martinique on March 30, 2025.
While an excursion accident like this is highly unusual, it is actually the second time this month that a boat carrying excursion passengers overturned on the shores of Colombia.
On March 2, 2025, 42 guests of a tour boat had to be rescued by the Colombia Coast Guard, as well as other watercraft nearby, when the incident occurred.
That vessel, which had departed from Cartagena less than an hour before it overturned, was headed to the nearby Isla Palma.
Although the tour wasn’t a cruise excursion, passengers aboard the doomed boat were from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Germany, Mexico, Paraguay, and Peru. All had been in life jackets.
Guests said the boat’s bow suddenly broke, allowing water to overtake the vessel before Samaritans rescued 10 people. The Coast Guard saved the remaining 32.
Navigating Safety
Colombian boat operators are required to carry life jackets for all passengers onboard their vessels.
However, the Canadian government advises its residents to exercise a high degree of caution in Colombia. As of March 18, 2025, its travel advisory website notes there are a number of unlicensed tour boats “not meeting safety standards.”
It highlights accidents in Cartagena, San Andrés, and Santa Marta due to these issues.
Read Also: How to Stay Safe and Enjoy Your Cruise Vacation
It advises its nationals to “choose a reputable boating company, ensure that your tour operator follows up-to-date safety regulations, and don’t board vessels that appear overloaded or unseaworthy.”
Likewise, the US Department of State lists Colombia as a Level 3: Reconsider Travel advisory, noting that tourism is “unevenly regulated” and safety inspections aren’t always common.
Although cruise lines like AIDACruises, which is owned by Carnival Corporation, vet tour providers, they also hold them liable for any accidents that occur to passengers during excursions.
Oftentimes, guests are required to sign a waiver before participating in an excursion such as jet skiing, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, and horseback riding.
Luckily, the waters near Cartagena are heavily trafficked and were relatively calm, as incidents in rougher seas have had tragic endings in similar cases.
