Raw video : High winds have ripped a cruise ship from its dock, breaking the vessel's gangway as passengers were disembarking and tipping an elderly man into the sea.

The MSC Fantasia's mooring ropes snapped away from the quay

The Italian-owned MSC Fantasia drifted away from the port wall in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, in gusts of up to 110km per hour.

The boat then moved far enough away from the quay to cause the gangway to collapse, around 15m above the sea.

One passenger fell into the water and had to be rescued by four members of the ship's crew.

The man, an 80-year-old Egyptian, is believed to have his head on the side of the ship and was in a serious condition in hospital, according to thinkspain.com.

The crew members were also taken to hospital and have now been discharged.

Palma's local port authority closed the port to traffic as a safety measure.

The 333-metre MSC Fantasia can accommodate 4,000 passengers and 1,325 crew members.

It is advertised by its owners MSC Italian Cruises as "the world's most beautiful cruise ship".

All on-board entertainment was cancelled for the night as result of the incident on Thursday.