Archive · 21 Sep 2026
Cruise Ship Slammed by Massive Waves in Drake Passage
A cruise ship traveled through a very rough ocean area called the Drake Passage.
The passage is between South America and Antarctica.
A video shows the ship rocking strongly as huge waves crash against it.
The waves may have been between 23 and 35 feet high, but their exact height was not confirmed.
Some waves in this area have reached 65 feet.
The passage has little land to block powerful winds.
A strong ocean current also moves around Antarctica.
These conditions can create dangerous storms and very large waves.
Video shows a cruise ship violently rocked by large waves in the Drake Passage.
The wave height was not confirmed, with estimates ranging from 23 to 35 feet or higher.
The Drake Passage lies between southern South America and Antarctica.
Some waves in the passage have reportedly reached 65 feet.
Strong winds and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current contribute to the region’s rough seas.
- Who
- A cruise ship and its passengers or crew are shown in the video, but the ship is not identified.
- What
- A cruise ship was violently struck and rocked by large waves.
- When
- The articles do not specify when the video was recorded.
- Where
- The Drake Passage, between the southern tip of South America and Antarctica.
- Why
- The passage experiences rough seas because strong winds face little land obstruction and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current contributes to major storms and waves.
- Location
- Drake Passage
- Estimated wave height
- Approximately 23 to 35 feet, or potentially higher
- Confirmed wave height
- No confirmed height was available
- Largest measured waves
- Some waves in the passage have reached 65 feet
- Geographic span
- Nearly 1,000 kilometres
- Connects
- Cape Horn in Chile and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica
- Main causes of rough seas
- Unobstructed winds and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current