Alderny, October 13: A woman in her 20s tragically died after falling from the MSC Virtuosa cruise ship into the English Channel near Les Casquets rocks, west of Alderney. The incident occurred around midnight on Saturday, prompting a distress signal from the 18-deck ship. An alarm sounded three times to alert passengers of the overboard situation.

According to a report by BBC, search and rescue teams were swiftly deployed, including a Channel Islands Air Search plane from Guernsey, lifeboat crews from Alderney and France, and a French helicopter crew from Cherbourg. The H160 helicopter located the woman in the water and hoisted her out, transporting her to the Tourlaville rescue center. Despite medical efforts, she was pronounced dead upon arrival. Her identity and nationality have not been publicly disclosed. UK Shocker: Pregnant Woman Pushed Off Bench by 2 Schoolboys at Bus Stop Suffers Miscarriage.

MSC Cruises confirmed the tragic event, stating, “A guest on board MSC Virtuosa went overboard on 12 October, while the ship was sailing to Southampton. The body was later recovered with the involvement of the authorities. We are deeply saddened by this tragic event, and our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time.” The company refrained from sharing further details out of respect for the family’s privacy. UK Shocker: Student Dies Using Two to Three 'Big Bottles' of Laughing Gas Everyday.

British and French authorities are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.

The MSC Virtuosa, a 331-meter Maltese-flagged cruise ship, can accommodate up to 6,334 passengers and 1,704 crew members. The ship is currently docked in Southampton, having arrived from Cartagena Port, Spain, on Sunday morning.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 13, 2024 05:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).