A woman in her 20s tragically lost her life after falling overboard from a cruise ship, the MSC Virtuosa, while it was sailing from Portugal to England in the Channel Islands. The French Coast Guard received a distress signal from the 18-deck vessel, prompting an immediate response.
The incident occurred north of Les Casquets rocks, west of Alderney, shortly after midnight on Saturday. In response to the distress signal, a French Navy H160 helicopter from Maupertus, Normandy, was dispatched for the rescue mission.
The Channel Islands Air Search group, a volunteer organization, was also mobilized to assist in the search. The group’s vessel, Lions’ Pride, left Guernsey at 2 a.m. and headed towards the search area. However, the group was stood down after the woman was retrieved from the water around 3 a.m.
The woman was airlifted by the Navy helicopter to a rescue center in Tourlaville. Regrettably, she was pronounced dead upon arrival. The passengers on board the cruise ship were asked to offer prayers for the deceased woman.
A passenger on the cruise, who identified himself as Neil, shared his experience with the BBC. He recounted how the cruise director informed them of a missing passenger, which would cause a delay in their arrival at Southampton.
MSC Cruises, the owner of the ship, expressed their condolences in a statement. They said, “We are deeply saddened by this tragic event, and our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time.” They also stated that they would not be providing further details out of respect for the family’s privacy.