A 72-year-old British woman is missing from the Marella Voyager cruise ship, prompting an emergency search during the vessel’s transatlantic crossing from Spain to the Caribbean.
Staff discovered the passenger missing on Tuesday after noting her bed had not been slept in, triggering a full headcount and alerts to maritime authorities.
The disappearance of the passenger, who was last seen on Monday afternoon, has forced an operational shift for the cruise liner. While the ship continues its scheduled voyage, the US Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centre in Norfolk, Virginia, has issued an alert to nearby vessels to maintain a lookout.
The Marella Voyager, which departed Malaga on November 4, was approximately 550 miles from the point where the passenger was last seen by the time her absence was confirmed, according to reporting by the Daily Star.
Because the precise time of the disappearance remains unknown, the US Coast Guard advised the captain to proceed with the planned route rather than attempting a search at sea, as the search area would be prohibitively large. Cruise Hive notes that the vessel had already traveled 477 nautical miles from its last known position by the time the alarm was raised.
On Tuesday evening, the crew conducted a rigorous verification process. Passengers were instructed to abandon dinner and entertainment to report to muster stations, where staff scanned boarding cards to account for all 2,000 guests and 800 crew members, the Daily Mail reported.
Captain Silviu Mitrea addressed the ship via broadcast to confirm the passenger remained missing and to thank the guests for their cooperation, The Sun reported. Security footage is currently being reviewed to determine the circumstances surrounding the woman’s disappearance.
This incident follows a separate, unrelated event in the Pacific Ocean, where a cruise ship pianist was rescued after falling overboard near the Californian coast. That individual was discovered by fishermen approximately 20 miles off the coast of Catalina Island after spending an estimated nine hours in the water, as reported by the BBC.
“We're deeply saddened to confirm that a guest was reported missing on board Marella Voyager while the ship was crossing the Atlantic,” a spokesperson for Marella Cruises said.
A spokesperson for the company stated, “We’re supporting the authorities with their enquiries, and out of respect for the guest and their family, we won’t be commenting further at this stage.” The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office confirmed it is in contact with the relevant authorities and is providing assistance to the family of the British national.
The Marella Voyager is expected to reach Antigua this Friday, November 13, before continuing to Dominica and concluding its voyage in Barbados on Sunday, November 15. The vessel has previously contended with challenging weather conditions during this crossing, which caused significant seasickness among those on board, though the cruise operator maintains that the weather is not believed to be a factor in the disappearance.
“I want to explain why. I’m sorry to tell you that one of our guests has been reported missing,” said Captain Silviu Mitrea, as reported by The Sun.
