- Cruise Vessel Breaches Capri’s Restricted Zone, Captain Penalised.
- Warning Issued After Cruise Approaches Protected Faraglioni Area.
- Capri Marine Violation Prompts Fine and Environmental Outcry.
An upscale cruise ship ventured into prohibited waters close to the Faraglioni rock formations off Capri on May 3, 2025, raising environmental alarm and attracting official sanctions. The 801-foot-long ship was on an 11-day cruise from Barcelona to Rome when it entered 500 meters of the site of special environmental concern, a location noted for its ecological vulnerability, reports Cruise Mummy.
Incident Verified Using AIS and Video
The incursion was revealed after Legambiente, an Italian environmental association, presented video footage to the Italian Coast Guard. The trajectory of the ship was confirmed through Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, and it was established that the ship had indeed breached the prohibited area.
Penalties Issued
After the probe, the captain of the ship was fined €1,032 and given a written formal warning by the Campanian Maritime Authority. Although relatively small in financial value, the fine is an obvious indication that marine conservation legislation matters.
Ecological Sensitivity of the Area
The waters around the Faraglioni harbour endangered coral species, numerous forms of fish, the blue lizard (a subspecies of the Italian wall lizard), and the Mediterranean monk seal, which has only recently been seen in the vicinity. Big ships threaten both vulnerable sea ecosystems and themselves if they sail too close.
Draw Analogues to Previous Maritime Accidents
Though no harm was done, the incident reminded onlookers of the 2012 Costa Concordia tragedy, in which a similar manoeuvre caused a fatal shipwreck. Environmentalists caution that even peaceful gestures close to shorelines can end up with unforeseen results.
Calls for Increased Protections
Legambiente’s Capri chapter is reacting with calls to have the seas surrounding Capri declared a Marine Protected Area and to strengthen enforcement to avoid such an incident in the future.
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Source: Cruise Mummy
