Cruise Passenger Missing After Falling Overboard

By Alia Shoaib

News Reporter

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A cruise ship passenger is missing after falling overboard off the coast of Tenerife on Thursday.

A search is ongoing to locate the man, a 76-year-old British national who was traveling on the Marella Explorer 2, which is operated by TUI, according to the Spanish coast guard.

Marella Cruises confirmed to Newsweek in an emailed statement that a guest was "seen entering the water" as the ship traveled toward La Gomera, one of Spain’s Canary Islands.

Why It Matters

The disappearance has sparked a major search effort. The man has now been missing for more than 24 hours, making the efforts to find him increasingly urgent.

What To Know

The Spanish coast guard, Salvamento Marítimo, said that it received an alert about a cruise passenger overboard at 9:48 a.m. local time on Thursday.

In response, the Tenerife Rescue Center activated a maritime and air search which is ongoing as of their update early Friday.

The Marella Explorer 2, which the coast guard said had also assisted in the search, docked in Santa Cruz de Tenerife at around 2:40 a.m. on Friday.

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Local outlet Vox Populi reported that following the incident the cruise ship captain activated the international "man overboard" protocol, which included deploying marker rafts at the location of the incident, conducting circular search patterns, reviewing CCTV footage and alerting Spanish maritime authorities.

The outlet noted that the passenger reportedly went overboard in an area where waters are deep and lateral currents can reach speeds of 1 to 2 knots.

The cruise ship began its seven day Canarian Flavours cruise on November 21, when it departed on a round trip from Santa Cruz de Tenerife around the Canary Islands, according to Cruise Mapper.

The adults-only Marella Explorer 2 cruise ship has 907 cabins and is spread across 14 decks, according to TUI's website.

What People Are Saying

Marella Cruises told Newsweek in an emailed statement: "We are deeply saddened to confirm that a guest was seen entering the water while the ship was on passage to La Gomera. Our thoughts are with the individual and their loved ones during this difficult time."

"Our dedicated care team is supporting the family, providing assistance and comfort. We are working closely with local authorities and will continue to offer every possible support."