Fort Lauderdale

Family Films Cruise Ship Drifting Close to Waterfront Home

Bill and Yasmine Todhunter are still in shock Tuesday days after a Celebrity Cruise ship drifted extremely close to their waterfront home near Port Everglades.

The couple captured the scary moment on their cellphone Friday. Footage shows the Celebrity Equinox towering near their home. The Todhunters say this was a first.

“Never seen anything that close. Yes, I've seen it come close, but never to where the ship has had to stop, put itself into reverse and back out into the channel," Bill Todhunter said.

He said he was bringing out the garbage bin in from the street when he looked up and saw the ship close to the home.

“I came back and my wife was filming it on her phone,” Todhunter said.

They posted the video to Twitter and Facebook.

The couple also reached out to Celebrity Cruises via social media.

Royal Caribbean, which is the parent company of Celebrity Cruises, responded to Bill on Facebook, claiming the ship was in her assigned channel and operated safely.

“I don’t believe that statement at all,” Todhunter said.

NBC 6 News reached out to Royal Caribbean for comment and the company sent us the following statement:

“As Equinox departed on Friday, March 3, she was in her assigned channel at all times under the guidance of specialized local port pilots. The ship operated safely and did not put guests or crew at risk. We can also confirm the ship did not touch bottom.”

The Todhunters said the statement from the company is not enough. They truly believe something went wrong that day and want a better explanation.

"It was obviously dangerous. It will never hit the house because of how the channel was built but what if there was another ship coming in? And, I'm worried about what will happen down the road. Could there be a cracked foundation or sea wall years from now ? That's what I was most concerned about,” Todhunter said.

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