Reports in Italian media suggest that a tragic accident at the port of Livorno, Italy, has claimed the life of an American tourist and left her husband critically injured.
The incident happened on 12th August, shortly after the couple returned from a city excursion and disembarked their shuttle bus.
According to initial reports, the 83-year-old woman and her 84-year-old husband were struck by a bus manoeuvring in the port area. It is unclear whether it was the same bus they had just stepped from.
One unconfirmed report named the victims as Ellen Jan and Samuel Davis.
The woman was rushed to hospital but sadly died shortly after arrival. Her husband remains in critical condition and has been admitted under code red.
Guests Were Onboard Queen Victoria
While the cruise line has not released an official statement, one guest onboard Queen Victoria contacted me to report the incident, and to confirm it was two guests from that ship that were the victims.
The guest, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed that the captain had announced the tragic news to passengers onboard.
Early investigations suggest the accident occurred as the bus reversed and the couple entered the driver’s blind spot.
Witnesses say the driver had only just assisted the woman off the bus and handed her a walker before moving to continue his service.
Police immediately cordoned off the area to conduct investigations and interview witnesses.
The driver, described as highly experienced, was visibly shaken, telling officers he realised something was wrong only when he heard shouts and a noise from behind the vehicle.
The accident has caused deep shock at the busy Tuscan port, which regularly handles cruise traffic. Authorities are now working to reconstruct exactly how the tragedy occurred.
Bus Accidents Are Rare, But Do Happen
While such incidents are rare, this is not the first time cruise passengers have been involved in serious bus accidents.
In June 2025, a sightseeing bus in Ketchikan, Alaska, carrying 46 cruise guests collided with an SUV, sending the bus into a roadside ditch. Three people were hospitalised, though thankfully no lives were lost.
Just a year earlier in September 2024, another Alaska excursion turned dangerous when a tour bus overturned on the South Klondike Highway near Skagway after the driver suffered a medical emergency. That accident left 12 passengers injured.
Elsewhere, in March 2025, a tour bus in Barcelona carrying cruise tourists was struck by another vehicle transporting Italian students. The collision, which happened close to the Sagrada Familia, left 53 people injured, including several in critical condition.
Despite these rare but high-profile incidents, the overwhelming majority of bus transfers and excursions connected to cruises are completed without incident, carrying thousands of guests safely each year.
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Would not be surprised if something like this happened at Stadsgården in Stockholm. There’s such limited space next to the ship because theyve fenced it off and put containers behind it. We witnessed a coach hitting another when we were there in May. There’s coaches reversing all the time, shuttles, excursion buses and HOHO buses. It’s really badly organised and is just an accident waiting to happen.