Five bodies were recovered from the sea after a three-hour operation by crew members aboard a cruise ship. Passengers on the Sapphire Princess were informed that the vessel would be turning back after an orange object, later identified as a lifejacket, was sighted in the western Mediterranean Sea at 6 pm on April 21.
Video footage captured the retrieval of a male body, dressed in a purple top and black shorts, which was carefully transferred onto the ship after being examined by medical staff. The ship resumed its journey at 6:59 pm but at 7:47 pm, another life jacket was spotted, leading to the recovery of a second body. Subsequent videos showed three more bodies being retrieved before the captain announced the successful recovery of five individuals.
A passenger, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed sadness at the events witnessed, noting the respectful treatment of the deceased individuals by the crew and the availability of counseling for all passengers. The cruise ship was positioned between Spain and North Africa before docking in Cartagena, Spain, on April 22. The vessel, carrying over three thousand passengers, embarked on a fourteen-day voyage from Italy on April 19, with its final destination set for Copenhagen, Denmark, on May 3.
The passenger, who initially shared the incident via Talk to the Press, remarked on the rarity of such occurrences during cruises, highlighting the shock experienced by fellow passengers. The recovered individuals are believed to be migrants.
In a statement, Princess Cruises confirmed the events, stating that the crew of the Sapphire Princess, upon spotting the lifejacket in the water, swiftly responded by recovering the deceased individuals with the assistance of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center. The cruise line extended condolences for the loss and commended the crew for their prompt action and support.
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