I-Gangway Collapses, Ukubulala 15 nokulimala kuka-30
Kusukela ekuqalisweni kwayo ngo-2004, iNdlovukazi uMariya 2 ukuhamba ngomkhumbi weCunard Line uye wagibela izigidi zamamayela futhi yaphatha amakhulu ezinkulungwane zezivakashi ezikhunjweni zokuhamba ngezimoto ezingakhohlwa. Kodwa-ke, abalandeli abaningi abahamba ngebhayisikili bakhumbula ingozi eyingozi eyenzeka ngonyaka ka-2003 e-Frenchyard lapho kwakhiwa khona umkhumbi.
Abantu abayishumi nesishiyagalolunye babulawa ngoNovemba 15, 2003 kwathi abangaphezu kuka-30 balimala ngesikhathi kuqhuma umkhumbi we-mega cruise uMeya Mary 2 (QM2).
Abaningi balabo ababulewe noma abalimele babengabasebenzi kanye nemindeni yabo ababevakashela umkhumbi. Abalimele abaningi babesimweni esibucayi esibhedlela sendawo. Ingozi yenzeke ngenkathi umkhumbi wawusesikhumulweni saseSaint-Nazaire, eFrance, emuva kokubuya ngesonto kusukela ekuhlolweni kwawo olwandle lokugcina. I-Associated Press ibike ukuthi ukutholakala kwamagundane amaningi okuxhumanisa umkhumbi kuze kufike umgwaqo wehlile, kwalahla izisulu 30-80 amamitha. I-gangway yayisanda kufakwa kuleli sonto ukuvakashelwa okukhethekile yimindeni yabasebenzi.
I-Alstom Marine's Chantiers de l'Atlantique yachitha iminyaka emibili ikhiqiza imali engamaRandi ayizigidi ezingama-780, umkhumbi wezinkulungwane ezingu-150 000 umkhumbi we-British Cunard Line, ophethwe yiCarnival Corp. Uhambo lwezintombi lweQM2 lwalo-January 12, 2004 kusukela eSouthampton kuya ku- Ft. Lauderdale . Umkhumbi wawubizwa ngokuthi nguNkosikazi iNdlovukazi (Queen Elizabeth) eSouthampton ngoJanuwari 8, 2004.
I-QM2 yi-Cunard Line flagship, futhi umkhumbi wawuwumkhumbi wezimoto ode kakhulu kunazo zonke, ode kakhulu kunabo bonke owake wakha lapho eqala ukuhamba ngomkhumbi ngoJanuwari 2004--377 amabanga amaningi kanye namamitha angu-79 phezulu (noma mayelana nokuphakama kwesakhiwo sezitezi ezingu-21) .
UMongameli uJacques Chirac waseFrance uhambele umkhumbi ngeSonto ngemuva kwengozi. UNgqongqoshe wezeNhlalakahle waseFrance uFrancois Fillon naye ubekhona esiteshini ngoMgqibelo ebusuku ngemuva kwengozi.
Lo mkhumbi wawushicilelwe kakhulu futhi wawulindeleke kakhulu umphakathi ojikelezayo. Umkhumbi wemikhumbi wawuthole izicelo ezingaphezu kuka-100 000 ukuvakashela umkhumbi ngenkathi usakhiwa.
Izinkampani ezingaphezu kuka-800, ikakhulukazi isiFulentshi, zazibandakanyeka ekwakhiweni kweNdlovukazi uMariya 2 . Umkhumbi uthwala abagibeli abangaphezu kuka-2600 kuma-decks angu-14, kanti cishe amaphesenti angaba ngu-75 emakolishi anama-balconi. I-Queen Mary 2 yiyona yedwa umkhumbi ohamba ngezinyawo ovumela izilwane ezifuywayo (nakuba kufanele zihlale enkennel, kunokuba zisendlini). I-sea liner ingahamba phezulu kuma-knots angu-30, okwenza kube omunye wemikhumbi yokugijima esheshayo, futhi inamamitha angaphezu kuka-32, okusiza ukuzinzisa umkhumbi ngamanzi ngamanzi athile e-Atlantic Ocean.
Kusukela kule ngozi eyingozi ngonyaka ka-2003, iNdlovukazi uMary 2 uye wahamba ngezinkulungwane zamakhilomitha emhlabeni jikelele, futhi uhambo lwakhe oluvame ukuhamba phakathi kweSouthampton naseNew York City. Kuyadabukisa lapho kwenzeka izinhlekelele, kodwa umkhumbi wenze izinkumbulo ezimnandi zezivakashi zawo eminyakeni eyishumi eyedlule.