The MV Van Gogh, a small cruise ship owned by the Dutch firm Cruise Club and carrying 400+ passengers, has been impounded by authorities in the Madeira Islands due to a financial dispute.
Association of British Travel Agents spokeswoman Frances Tuke said the tourists were of mixed age groups, but that most were retired.
“They’ve come to the end of their cruise, and the ship has been impounded in Madeira because there’s a financial dispute,” Tuke told the AP.
Lusa reported that the ship’s operator allegedly had outstanding debts with suppliers. The report did not provide details and port officials did not answer calls after office hours Wednesday. [MSNBC]
All in all, it seems like there could be worse places to be stuck for a few extra days than the Madeira Islands. The operator will almost certainly get things sorted out, and it seems unlikely that the passengers will end up suffering financially.