Search is underway for a crew member who jumped off an MSC cruise ship on June 10 after departing from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy.
The crew member jumped off MSC Musica en route to Genoa, Italy on a 7-day Western Mediterranean cruise. The ship's navigational team and local Coast Guard searched the area for three hours; however, the body was not found.
“The ship command responded promptly and the man overboard procedure was immediately initiated. In cooperation with the local authorities, a search and rescue operation was launched with the aid of a rescue helicopter and multiple patrol boats. At this present time, the search is still ongoing," an MSC spokesperson told Cruise Radio.
“We are deeply saddened by this news and our thoughts are with the family, friends, and fellow crew members at this difficult time. We are providing support and care to those impacted by this.”
The ship returned to Barcelona, Spain on June 13 concluding the weeklong voyage that visited Ibiza, Spain; Cagliari, Italy; Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; Genoa, Italy; and Cannes, France.
The 92,409 gross registered ton MSC Musica launched in 2006 and sails to a variety of destinations around the world, including the Mediterranean, South Africa, and the Middle East.
Overboard incidents can happen due to various reasons, including accidents and intentional acts. Investigations are conducted to determine the circumstances surrounding each incident, which involve reviewing security footage and interviewing witnesses and involved parties.
To prevent the likelihood of man overboard situations, cruise lines have implemented preventative measures, such as high railings on decks and stateroom balconies.
To protect the family's privacy, MSC Cruises has not disclosed the name, gender, or position of the crew member.
The news comes less than one month after a passenger went overboard on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas
On May 26, a passenger aboard the world's largest cruise ship went overboard. The vessel departed Miami, Florida the day before on a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise and was en route to Roatán, Honduras. According to reports online, the unidentified guest went overboard about 300 miles from Miami. Though he was successfully recovered, he later succumbed to his injuries and passed away.
Cruise Junkie's website indicates this as the 11th overboard incident of 2024, with the first happening in January when a passenger onboard a ferry sailing through the Irish sell fell overboard. The second to last occurred during a sailing onboard MSC Euribia, the cruise line's newest ship, just three days before.
The ship was sailing through the Sognefjord at the time of the incident, and it marked the second time someone had fallen off the same vessel in two months, according to the New York Post. The body of the man "in his late 50s" was recovered from the 4,300-foot-deep waters by a rescue helicopter and transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In 2024, a passenger as young as 20 perished following going overboard. Levion Parker of North Port, Florida reportedly jumped off Liberty of the Seas, a 154,407 gross ton Freedom Class vessel, following an alleged argument with his father. The vessel came to a halt; however, after unsuccessfully locating his body, the search was called off.
"As we were walking from the hot tub back to the elevators, his dad and brother were walking towards us. His dad was fussing at him for being drunk, I guess,' said fellow passenger Bryan Sims, who was in the hot tub with Parker leading up to the incident, to the New York Post.
In 2023, 25 people were reported to have gone overboard
Similar to 2024, the first incident occurred when an individual fell off a ferry boat into Elliott Bay. Guests, however, were reported to have fallen off ships ranging from the 78,340 gross registered ton Vision of the Seas to the Costa Toscana, the ninth-largest cruise ship in the world.
Out of the 25 persons, only two were crew members. In November, a 30-year-old crew member working aboard MSC Seascape went overboard off the coast of Puerto Rico, as reported by NBC News. Officials say the man was reported going overboard about 80 feet from the ship's bow from a height of roughly 32 feet above sea level.
One month earlier, a crew member went missing on AIDAperla. Sky News reported that the crew member went overboard while the ship was off the coast of Kent, England. A helicopter, Coast Guard aircraft, and lifeboats were involved in the search efforts.
According to data from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), individuals who go overboard are unlikely to be rescued
In March 2020, the CLIA released a Report on Operational Incidents [from] 2009 to 2019 that reveals out of the 212 overboard incidents, only 48 people (or 28.2%) were successfully rescued.
Additionally, the report shares that most overboard incidents were from passengers, as only 33% of reported instances involved crew members.
Thorough investigations are conducted following an overboard incident to determine the cause and/or motive: "In every case [from 2009 to 2019] where the cause of the man overboard (MOB) was established following a careful investigation, it was found to be the result of an intentional or reckless act. There were some instances, however, which were impossible to determine a motive.”
Read more: Simple tips to safely take a cruise ship vacation
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
