Cruise Ship Stranded in Mariehamn Due to Strong Winds
A cruise ship carrying over 1,500 passengers was forced to remain docked in Mariehamn on Monday after strong winds prevented its scheduled journey to Visby in Gotland. The Birka Gotland, a 177-meter-long vessel sailing under the Swedish flag, was unable to depart due to hazardous weather conditions in the Baltic Sea.
According to Sveriges Radio, the ship’s planned route between Stockholm, Åland, and Visby was disrupted, with both its Monday voyage to Visby and the evening departure from Gotland canceled. The vessel arrived in Mariehamn on Monday morning and remained in the harbor throughout the afternoon, as confirmed by the vessel-tracking service MarineTraffic (Helsingin Sanomat).
Passengers affected by the cancellation have been offered compensation, including refunds or the option to reschedule their bookings (Ilta-Sanomat).
The Finnish Meteorological Institute issued warnings for strong northeasterly winds in the region, with gusts reaching up to 14 meters per second in the Gulf of Finland. A notice for brisk winds—with speeds of 12 meters per second—was also in effect for the northern Baltic Sea, the Sea of Åland, and the Archipelago Sea (Ilta-Sanomat).