The pensioner was last seen on Monday night and the alarm was raised when staff saw her bad hadn’t been slept in on Tuesday – that sparked a desperate search for the Brit
A ship-wide hunt is reportedly on to locate a British woman who is missing from a mid-Atlantic cruise. The pensioner was last seen on Monday, and reported missing on Tuesday, November 10.
Staff raised the alarm when they saw her bed had not been slept in, reports the Daily Mail. Passengers were then told to assemble at four muster stations onboard the Marella Voyager.
That was the first act in the ship-wide hunt amid fears she fell overboard. 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.
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.”
It’s feared the vessel could have travelled 550 miles from when the woman was last seen to when she was reported missing, reportedly making a U-turn impossible. The US Coastguard has instead told ships in the area to keep a look-out for a person in the water.
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.
The ship left Malaga on November 4 and was supposed to land in Antigua on Friday, before finishing its voyage in Barbados on Sunday.
The Star has contacted Tui and the Foreign Office for comment.