A woman in her 20s has died after going overboard from a cruise ship near the Channel Islands, according to rescue services.
The incident occurred around 02:00 BST, prompting a search north of Les Casquets rocks, west of Alderney. The woman, a passenger on the MSC Virtuosa, was recovered from the sea by a French search and rescue helicopter but was later pronounced dead by doctors.
A fellow passenger, identified only as Neil, told the BBC that an alarm rang three times, signaling someone had gone overboard. He said passengers were asked to pray for the missing woman. "I went up, along with many others, to see what was happening," Neil said. "About half an hour later, the cruise director informed us they were searching for a missing passenger, which would delay our arrival in Southampton."
MSC Cruises released a statement confirming that a guest went overboard on October 12 while the ship was en route to Southampton. "The body was later recovered with the involvement of local authorities. We are deeply saddened by this tragic event, and our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time," the statement read, adding that no further details would be provided to respect the family's privacy.
The French police are leading the investigation into the death. A plane from Channel Islands Air Search, along with lifeboat crews from Alderney, France, and a helicopter team from Cherbourg, responded to the scene. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary are also assisting with the inquiries.
"It has been reported that the woman went overboard from the MSC Virtuosa during the early hours and tragically lost her life," said a police spokesperson.
The MSC Virtuosa, a Maltese-flagged cruise ship, is 331 meters long and 43 meters wide, with the capacity to accommodate 6,334 passengers and 1,704 crew members. Built in France in 2020, the 19-deck vessel arrived in Southampton around 08:00 after departing from Cartagena Port in Spain.