Tui ‘deeply saddened’ as search for missing Brit cruise passenger launched

Tui has issued a statement after launching a desperate search for a British pensioner missing from a cruise ship. It’s feared the 72-year-old fell overboard as the vessel crossed the Atlantic.

She was last seen on Monday, and staff raised the alarm a day later when they realised her bed had not been slept in. Crews quickly told the Marella Voyager’s 2,000 passengers to assemble at muster stations.

That was the first act in a full search of the 14-deck, 956-cabin ocean liner. She remains missing.

Tui has now issued a new statement saying it is ‘deeply saddened’ by the incident. A spokesperson said: “We’re deeply saddened to confirm that a guest was reported missing on board Marella Voyager while the ship was crossing the Atlantic.

“As soon as the alarm was raised, the crew carried out a full search of the ship and we contacted the relevant authorities straight away. Our thoughts are with the guest’s loved ones at this very difficult time.

“We’re supporting the authorities with their enquiries, and out of respect for the guest and their family, we won’t be commenting further at this stage.”

The ship, sailing from Malaga in Spain to the Caribbean, is thought to have travelled 550 miles from when the passenger was last seen to when she was reported missing. The US Coastguard told the captain to continue sailing as planned rather than making a U-turn to search for the pensioner, The Express understands.

The voyage had been hit by appalling weather earlier in the trip, but it’s not thought adverse conditions played a role in the pensioner’s disappearance. One holidaymaker recalled the wind and rain: “[I’ve] never experienced rough seas like this in all the 20 years of cruising. “We were on deck 11 sitting inside as it was pouring down. We heard this huge bang as if we had hit something. The ship started to go onto its side and we could see the water through the windows.”

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.”

The Express has contacted the Foreign Office for comment.