British pensioner 'missing from Tui cruise ship' as urgent search launched

Detailed summary

The 72-year-old woman was last seen on Monday, and reported missing on Tuesday, requiring every passenger to assemble at muster stations.

Cruise ship crew are reportedly searching to find a British pensioner who is feared to have fallen overboard. The 72-year-old was last seen on Monday, and reported missing on Tuesday.

Staff raised the alarm when they saw her bed had not been slept in the previous evening, reports the Daily Mail. The Tui crew made an announcement telling passengers to assemble at four muster stations onboard the Marella Voyager.

It appears the woman remains missing a day after she was reported missing. The voyage has been beset by bad weather, as strong winds have battered the vessel as it makes its way from Malaga to the Caribbean.

There are fears the ship had sailed 550 miles between the last sighting of the pensioner and when the alarm was raised. The US Coastguard has told ships in the area to keep a look-out for a person in the water.

Crew onboard said the muster check was "the only way we can find out if they're on board or not". Another staff member reassured passengers, saying: "This is just to check who's here. Do not move ahead and think we have to leave the ship."

A Tui spokesperson confirmed a passenger is missing but denied the weather had a part to play in her disappearance. They told the Mail: “A guest has gone missing on board the ship, but nothing suggests weather played a part in the guest's disappearance.

“The cabin steward raised an alarm after noticing the guest's bed hadn't been slept in. A full search of the ship then took place, and it was reported to the authorities.”

The woman has not been identified, but the Foreign Office confirmed she is British. A spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British National reported missing on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean and we are in touch with the relevant authorities.”

Tui first sailed the Marella Voyager in 2023. It has 14 decks, 956 cabins, and weighs more than 77,000 tonnes. Its 2,000 guests can enjoy an indoor cinema, outdoor pools, and mini golf courses onboard.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Daily Express. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.