BRITISH TOURIST FALLS OVERBOARD MARELLA CRUISE SHIP
A 76-year-old British tourist fell overboard the TUI Marella Explorer 2 cruise ship on November 27.
At the time, the ship was approximately 19 miles from Punta de Teno, a nature reserve on the coast of Tenerife, Spain, as reported by local media outlet, El Dia .
The Spanish coast guard began searching for the passenger the same day he disappeared but had yet to recover anything as of Saturday. It was reported the ship’s captain activated the vessel’s “man overboard” protocol once they realized the man was missing, which included extensive reviews of the cameras, circular search maneuvers and launching multiple marker rafts.
It is unclear how exactly the man fell overboard. The Marella Explorer 2 is an 800-foot- vessel that can carry more than 2,100 passengers.
Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson Cruises) is a British cruise line operated by TUI UK, offering cruise vacations around Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia. This is not the only passenger overboard incident to occur, recently. Last week, a 73-year- old passenger on a Disney Wonder cruise was presumed dead after he leapt overboard into some of Australia’s roughest waters.
HOW COMMON IS IT FOR PEOPLE TO FALL OVERBOARD ON A CRUISE SHIP?
In 2024, at least 19 people went overboard on cruise ships, only two of whom survived. The incidents, which occurred on various cruise lines and locations worldwide, involved both passengers and crew.
Many statistics regarding overboard cases are not made public by cruise lines, and thus the severity of this type of situation might even be more pressing and frequent than currently understood. Alcohol, foul play, or suicide are the most frequent causes; however, often it is simply impossible to discover the truth.
Fortunately, technology exists to sound alerts when a passenger goes overboard. These systems, called MOB Detection Devices, include motion sensors, thermal detection systems, and drones that are designed to alert the ship’s bridge to stop the ship and immediately deploy search and rescue protocols.
There are a number of factors that can contribute to a cruise ship overboard incident. Some of the most common causes include:
- Slippery or wet decks
- Suicide
- Intoxication or excessive drinking
- Overcrowding on decks or in pools
- Lack of proper safety equipment or barriers
- Poorly maintained ship infrastructure or equipment
- Negligence or recklessness on the part of the cruise ship crew
When a passenger falls overboard from a cruise ship, the results are almost always deadly. Family members of passengers who die while on a cruise may have a viable legal claim against the cruise line when the death occurs due to the negligence or carelessness of the cruise line or its medical team. However, the law that covers these incidents is complex and governed primarily by an 1886 statute called the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA) .
Aronfeld Trial Lawyers is a personal injury law firm located in Miami, Florida. Since 1991, we have fought hard to hold cruise lines accountable when they put profits ahead of passenger safety. We are available 24/7 and encourage you to contact us even if you are still on your cruise. The sooner we can begin our investigation and preservation of key evidence, such as CCTV footage of your trip and fall, slip and fall, assault, or other injury, the more likely we will be able to understand and prove how the incident occurred.
REMEMBER: Cruise lines have the most aggressive and well-funded defense lawyers in the world to protect their profits. You need an experienced legal advocate in your corner who will fight to obtain the compensation you deserve for lost wages, medical expenses, transportation reimbursement, and pain and suffering.
Call us today to speak with a cruise ship claims lawyer about your potential claim—toll-free at 1-888-742-0372 or 305-770-6553 , or by email . We are ready to help.
SOURCE: Marella Cruises passenger missing after falling overboard off coast of Spain | New York Post
