Overview
- A large influx of flies covered the outdoor areas of the cruise ship Mein Schiff 6 while it was berthed at the artificial port of Leixões, forcing passengers to stay inside and leaving the pool deck empty despite about 33°C heat.
- The captain apologized for the unprecedented situation in an announcement on July 2 and described the insects as harmless, according to crew statements reported by multiple outlets.
- Crew ordered passengers to keep balcony and exterior doors shut and restricted use of outside decks as an immediate containment measure.
- Reporters and the crew suggested hot weather and the ship’s many bright surfaces may have attracted the insects, but there is no confirmed explanation for the unusual scale of the infestation.
- The ship departed Porto on the evening of July 2 with no reported injuries or itinerary cancellations and no confirmed resolution of the insect presence, and port authorities described the event as puzzling.