Storm Emilia in Gibraltar Strait: Journey from hell for passengers on ferry from mainland Spain to Ceuta

Severe weather from Storm Emilia created the journey from hell for passengers and their cars on a ferry between Algeciras in the south of Spain and Ceuta, the Spanish enclave on the north coast of Africa. The journey only usually takes one hour, but the sea in the Strait of Gibraltar tossed the 3,500-tonne ferry around like an inflatable dinghy.

All maritime traffic was disrupted in the Strait of Gibraltar over the weekend as Storm Emilia passed, and in this case, it forced a Baleària ferry to abort its stomach-churning journey to Ceuta and return to mainland Spain, leaving passengers to repeat the harrowing experience and causing significant damage to vehicles on board.

Crossed to African coast and turned back into same rough seas

The ferry Ciudad de Mahón, operating on the Algeciras-Ceuta route, departed Algeciras late on Saturday, December 13, at around 10pm, despite adverse sea conditions. The vessel was fully loaded, as earlier sailings had been cancelled due to the storm. After approximately three and a half hours at sea, with the ship manoeuvring through heavy waves and changing courses multiple times, the captain decided to turn back when it became impossible to safely enter Ceuta’s port.

Passengers described the voyage as “infernal”, with unsecured chairs sliding across decks, some people falling, seasickness all across the boat, and violent pitching from the rough seas. Many reported not being informed of the turnaround until an announcement was made around 1.30am. Upon returning to Algeciras in the early hours of Sunday, the ship faced further delays in docking.

Cars thrown around like toys in lower decks

To make things worse, once passengers with vehicles accessed the garage around 3.30am, they discovered considerable damage to cars and other vehicles caused by the extreme movements during the storm.

The incident resulted in no reported injuries but highlighted the challenges posed by Storm Emilia, which brought strong winds, high waves, and heavy rain to southern Spain and the Strait region. Maritime connections continued to be severely affected on Sunday, with multiple cancellations announced by operators including Armas-Trasmediterránea and several Baleària departures pending weather improvements. Stranded passengers in Algeciras faced ongoing uncertainty as the storm continued.

By Sunday afternoon, conditions began to ease slightly, allowing some ferries, including the Ciudad de Mahón, to complete crossings to Ceuta later in the day. Authorities continue to monitor the situation.