Terrifying moment North Sea cruise ship with British tourists on board is struck by ‘rogue wave’, sending people sliding around the floor and knocking out power, forcing it to be towed to Germany

This is the terrifying moment a Norwegian cruise ship with British tourists on board was hit by a 'rogue wave', sending passengers skidding across the floor and cutting out power during a violent storm in the North Sea.

MS Maud, owned by cruise line HX, part of Norway's Hurtigruten Group, was sailing about 160 miles off the west coast of Denmark and about 220 miles off the east coast of Britain when the monster wave shattered the bridge's windows.

The luxury cruise ship, which was carrying 400 passengers and crew, had embarked on a 14-day Northern Lights expedition from Tilbury on December 9 and was due to return to Essex port on December 23.

Dramatic images obtained by MailOnline show the exact moment the wave hit, making the ship impossible to navigate and having to be towed to Germany.

The passenger who filmed the moment said: 'I showed the bridge camera on the TV to try and stop the dizziness and randomly decided to film it!

'As soon as the wave hit, the TV screen went black and the distress signal from the ship's horn sounded, so I knew something was wrong.'

The holidaymaker, who expected it to be a 'tough ride' after going over several other large waves, described passengers, permanent tables and chairs being sent flying amid the rocky conditions.

MS Maud (pictured) had embarked on a 14-day Northern Lights expedition from Tilbury, UK, on ​​December 9 and was due to return to Essex port on December 23.

One passenger, who was filming the bridge camera at the time, captured the moment the 'rogue wave' struck MS Maud

Terrifying footage shows how the huge wave crashed into the Norwegian ship, causing a power outage

A shop on MS Maud was left in complete disarray after the incident. Today there was a cleaning action

Photos shared with MailOnline show the destruction caused by the wave, including a shop with its windows smashed and products left strewn across the floor. According to those on board, a major cleaning operation is underway today.

Another passenger, Betty Little, was traveling with her 96-year-old mother Jessie when the wave hit. She praised the crew for their response as they are both disabled and needed extra support amid the panic.

Mrs Little told MailOnline: 'When we had to go to the collection points we received help almost immediately. One crew member, with the further assistance of four others, piggybacked my mother down the stairs, and I was helped by two people. We were given help putting on our survival gear and made as comfortable as possible.

“Later, water was provided, cans of Coca-Cola and ginger ale, and sandwiches. Absolutely amazing crew!'

Other stomach-churning footage shared by passengers showed how choppy the conditions were, with the ship rocking aggressively up and down as it was buffeted by huge waves.

One video, shared on Facebook, received dozens of comments from fellow passengers, including one text: 'We watch movies in our room. Every time we move, we almost fly.”

The ship's 266 passengers and 131 crew were safe, a spokesman for the Danish Joint Rescue Coordination Center (DJRC) confirmed, adding that a vessel from the civil rescue company Esvagt had managed to attach a tow line to the cruise ship.

“An Esvagt ship is slowly towing it towards Bremerhafen in Germany at a speed of about 8-9 knots,” the spokesperson said.

A shop window of MS Maud was smashed after the huge wave caused chaos on board

The TV camera went completely blackout after the wave crashed into the ship – and passengers were told to gather at the meeting point

Footage shared from MS Maud shows the ship moving aggressively up and down as objects are scattered across the floor

Despite the power outage, the ship's main engine was still functioning, allowing the ship to be manually controlled from the engine room.

MS Maud left Floroe in Norway on Thursday and was expected to arrive in Tilbury in Great Britain on Friday.

Hurtigruten confirmed in a statement on Friday that the ship was on its way to Bremerhafen to disembark.

An HX spokesperson said: 'Yesterday afternoon, December 21, MS Maud reported a temporary loss of power after an encounter with a rogue wave. The ship was sailing from Florø, Norway towards Tilbury, UK, when the incident occurred.

“At this time, the ship has confirmed that no serious injuries to guests or crew have been sustained as a result of the incident. The condition of the ship remains stable and the crew can sail under their own power.

'After continuous safety checks and technical assessments, we have decided to adjust the planned sailing route in view of the weather conditions. Thorough operational protocols are in place across the fleet and we always prioritize the safety of those on board.

'The ship is currently sailing to Bremerhaven, Germany to disembark. Our team is working to arrange onward travel home for the guests on board.”

The area was hit by a hurricane-force storm from the northwest late on Thursday and is forecast to continue on Friday, the Danish Meteorological Institute said.

Remarkable footage from the ship's bridge camera shows how big the waves were in the lead-up to the 'rogue wave'

Another video shows the rough conditions in the North Sea when the crew had to be towed to Germany

The map shows the route of MS Maud from Floroe to Tilbury before it lost navigational ability in the North Sea

The MS Maud – formerly known as the MS Midnatsol – takes its name from a polar ship from 100 years ago, according to the website.

The original ship was named after the first queen of what is now known as modern-day Norway.

The ship is equipped with technology that the website says is 'exceptionally suitable' for cruises between Norway and the British Isles.

Trips on the MS Maud cost anywhere from $3,000 to almost $10,000.

It comes six weeks after a Saga cruise ship was battered by a storm (pictured) and stalled in the Bay of Biscay, forcing passengers to 'hang on for dear life'

It comes six weeks after a Saga cruise ship was battered by a storm and stalled in the Bay of Biscay, forcing passengers to 'hang on for dear life'.

The Spirit of Discovery cut short its two-week voyage and returned to Portsmouth early to avoid the approaching storm when heavy winds and choppy waters overtook it.

About 100 of the 1,000 people on board were injured, the majority of whom were injured when the ship's safety system activated, causing it to veer dramatically and come to a stop, according to Saga at the time.