British Passenger Missing from Transatlantic Cruise Ship

A 72-year-old British passenger has gone missing from a cruise ship during a transatlantic voyage to the Caribbean, prompting an international maritime alert. The woman was last seen on Monday aboard the Marella Voyager, which is operated by travel company Tui, before crew members discovered her absence the following day.

Staff raised the alarm on Tuesday after noticing that the passenger's cabin bed had not been slept in. Crew members subsequently conducted an emergency headcount of all individuals on board, requiring passengers to present their boarding cards for verification. The cruise operator subsequently notified the United States Coast Guard regarding the missing individual.

The United States Coast Guard Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Norfolk, Virginia, issued a broadcast advising nearby vessels to maintain a lookout for the missing passenger. Maritime authorities instructed the cruise ship to continue its planned crossing rather than turn back, as the vessel had already travelled hundreds of miles since the passenger was last seen. The Marella Voyager, carrying approximately 2,000 passengers and 800 crew members, departed Malaga on 4 November and is scheduled to reach Antigua on Friday before proceeding to Dominica and concluding its voyage in Barbados on Sunday.

Marella Cruises stated that the company was supporting authorities with their enquiries into the disappearance and expressed sympathy for the passenger's family. The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed that officials were providing assistance to the family of the missing national and remained in contact with relevant agencies.

The incident follows a separate rescue off the coast of California, where a cruise ship pianist working for Royal Caribbean was recovered alive after falling overboard. Two fishermen discovered the crew member approximately 20 miles off Catalina Island, where officials believe he had been in the Pacific Ocean for roughly nine hours.

Written by Thomas Nussbaumer thomas.nussbaumer@alpineweekly.com