Search continues for British passenger who fell from TUI cruise ship near Tenerife
Rescue teams are continuing to search the waters northwest of Tenerife for a 76-year-old British man who fell overboard from the TUI cruise ship Marella Explorer 2 on Thursday, while on a Canary Islands cruise.
The ship was sailing 16.5 nautical miles northwest of Punta de Teno on route to La Gomera from Tenerife when the incident happened.
Spain’s maritime rescue agency, Salvamento Marítimo, launched an immediate operation after receiving a “man overboard” alert at 9:48am.
A major air and sea search is underway involving:
• Helimer 201 rescue helicopter
• Sasemar 103 surveillance aircraft
• Salvamar Menkalinan and Salvamar Mizar lifeboats
• A Guardia Civil patrol boat and helicopter
The Marella Explorer 2, which had departed from Funchal, Madeira, also joined the search before continuing to Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where it docked on Friday morning.
Search efforts resumed at first light this morning, Saturday, with rescue teams rotating aircraft and vessels to continue covering the area.
TUI’s cruise division, Marella Cruises, said they are “deeply saddened” by the incident, and that support is being offered to the man’s family.
The search remains active.
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