A cruise ship veered very close to the esplanade when it passed through a canal in Venice during stormy weather on Sunday. The incident sparked, yet again, a discussion about overtourism and safety for large cruises moving through Venice’s canals.

Costa Deliziosa, 294 metres long and with the capacity for 2,826 passengers, narrowly avoided Venice’s esplanade during a storm.

In a statement released by the Port of Venice, Pino Musolino, the president of the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority, said that the ship will be checked for necessary permits.

Musolino also sees it necessary to organise a meeting with Venice’s port authorities to evaluate current naval traffic rules and possibly request the adoption of other measures to help ensure the safety of citizens in the city.

Costa Deliziosa cited the “violent, extraordinary and sudden meteorological event” as the cause for the incident. However, it maintains that “the Captain has always maintained control of the ship,” even during what is described as “conditions of extreme and sudden difficulty”.

The incident comes only a month after the cruise ship MSC Opera collided with a tourist boat on the Giudecca Canal in Venice, reigniting the debate on whether or not big cruise ships should be allowed in Venice’s canals.

Citizens took to social media to voice their concerns with the hashtag #NoGrandiNavi, saying that big cruise ships should no longer be allowed in Venice’s canals.

When the MSC Opera collided with a smaller tourist boat back in June, Danilo Toninelli, Italy’s Minister of Infrastructure and Transport said on Twitter that a definitive solution is close to being introduced in order to protect both Venice’s lagoon and tourism.

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