May 16, 2025 — Port of Heraklion, Crete
In a terrifying turn of events, the Marella Explorer cruise ship was urgently evacuated this morning after a sudden and unexplained gas leak spread through multiple decks, leaving dozens of passengers hospitalized and hundreds more in panic.
The incident occurred just hours after the ship docked in Heraklion, Crete, during a scheduled Mediterranean cruise. According to early reports, passengers on Decks 5 through 8 began reporting dizziness, nausea, and breathing difficulties around 6:00 AM local time. Alarms were triggered minutes later, prompting the captain to initiate a full emergency evacuation.
“It felt like the air suddenly changed,” said passenger Mark Ellison, 54, from the UK. “People were coughing, some even collapsed. Crew members were shouting at us to get to the upper decks — it was chaos.”
Local emergency responders, hazmat teams, and the Hellenic Coast Guard quickly descended upon the port. A total of 43 people — including children — were taken to local hospitals with symptoms consistent with exposure to an unknown chemical substance. Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported.
Officials are not ruling out sabotage.
“We are investigating the possibility of a deliberate release of a hazardous substance,” said a spokesperson for Greek maritime authorities. “Nothing is being excluded at this stage.”
Speculation is mounting about a potential breach in one of the ship’s technical or refrigeration systems, or even a security lapse involving passengers or cargo. The vessel is currently under lockdown as forensic teams search for the source.
Marella Cruises has issued a brief statement expressing “deep concern” and confirming full cooperation with investigators.
This is the second major incident involving a Marella ship in under two years, prompting renewed scrutiny over cruise ship safety and environmental hazard protocols.