A crew member has gone missing after going overboard off the coast of Italy during a Viking Star cruise. The incident took place around 11:30 a.m. on Monday, October 27, about 100 nautical miles southeast of the Calabria coast. Viking Cruises confirmed the crew member went overboard while the ship was sailing from Greece to Italy. The company activated the ship’s emergency response immediately and launched an extensive search operation in coordination with the Italian Coast Guard.
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Passengers on board the Viking Star shared updates and videos of the search on social media platforms, with one passenger mentioning that the ship had stopped for over four hours. Another passenger posted a video showing aerial efforts to locate the missing crew member. The Viking Star was on a seven-day journey in the Mediterranean, having departed from Athens, Greece on October 23 and was scheduled to arrive in Rome, Italy on October 30. Viking later confirmed that the ship was authorised to continue its voyage on Monday evening.
In response to the incident, Viking Cruises expressed deep sadness and extended thoughts to the crew member’s family, assuring continued support during the difficult time. Both Viking Cruises and the Italian Coast Guard were approached for comments, but there was no immediate response to the request. The Cruise Line International Association reported 212 man overboard incidents between 2009 and 2019 across member cruise lines, with only 48 successfully rescued.
In a separate incident, a passenger from the Norwegian Jewel cruise ship went overboard on a voyage from Ponta Delgada, Portugal to Miami. Despite extensive search efforts with multiple vessels, the rescue operation was unsuccessful. The ship was eventually permitted to resume its voyage, and support was provided to the loved ones of the missing passenger. On social media platforms like TikTok and Reddit, fellow passengers shared updates and insights into the search operations and actions taken by the crew during the incident.
Cruise ship accidents and overboard incidents underscore the risks associated with maritime travel. The safety measures and emergency response protocols on cruise ships play a crucial role in managing such incidents. Passengers and crew members rely on the efficiency and effectiveness of these protocols in ensuring their safety and well-being during voyages. The incidents also highlight the importance of cooperation between cruise lines, authorities, and passengers in responding to emergencies at sea.
The maritime industry faces challenges in mitigating risks associated with overboard incidents and accidents at sea. Cruise companies continue to enhance safety measures and protocols to prevent such incidents and to ensure swift and effective responses when they do occur. The incidents serve as reminders of the unpredictable nature of sea travel and the importance of prioritising passenger and crew safety above all else. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story and the efforts being made to locate the missing crew member.