At least 13 people were killed and more than 30 injured Saturday by the collapse of a gangway leading to the luxury ocean liner Queen Mary 2, the world's largest and most expensive passenger ship, which is in the final stages of construction at an Atlantic Coast shipyard in western France.

Luxury ocean liner Queen Mary 2

The accident occurred at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, where the $800 million "QM 2" is in dry dock before its maiden voyage, scheduled for mid-January. The 150,000-ton, 21-story ship, which is the length of four football fields, regularly attracts onlookers. The gangway collapsed at about 2:30 p.m. during an onboard visit organized for family members of the construction workers.

French rescue officials and local television reports said many of the dead were children. At least 10 of the injured were reported to be in serious condition. Children were also said to be among the injured.

Some of the victims fell 30 to 50 feet, according to media reports.

There was no word from shipyard officials or French authorities on what caused the gangway to collapse, but local media reported that it was crowded with family members waiting to board the liner for the tour. A French newspaper quoted a shipyard official as saying the 10-foot-long gangway had just been built and was installed on Friday.

Rescue workers set up emergency units to treat some of the injured at the scene.

The ship is being built for Carnival Corp's Cunard Line, and has been undergoing the finishing touches before being commissioned to sail. In recent weeks, the vessel had successfully completed a series of sea trials off France's Brittany coast. The original Queen Mary was launched in 1934 and is now being used as a hotel in Long Beach, Calif.

With 22 elevators and the world's largest floating library, the QM 2 dwarfs other passenger liners. It weighs twice as much as the Queen Elizabeth 2, which was built in 1967.

The Elysee Palace announced tonight that President Jacques Chirac would visit Saint-Nazaire Sunday afternoon to "pay respect to the victims and express the solidarity of the nation."

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