A search operation is currently taking place in the Mediterranean Sea following an incident where a crew member from the Viking Star fell overboard on Monday morning.
A representative from Viking Cruises confirmed that the crew member fell at approximately 11:31 a.m. local time. In response, the ship quickly activated an emergency protocol and initiated a search alongside the Italian Coast Guard.
Details about the situation remain limited at this stage.
This Viking ocean cruise, spanning seven nights and eight days, commenced in Athens, Greece, and is set to visit Turkey and Crete. On Monday, while sailing from Crete to Palermo, Italy, the ship’s announcement system alerted everyone on board about the crewmember falling into the water.
Interestingly, a producer from Fox News, who was onboard, noted the shocked expressions of waitstaff serving lunch as passengers rushed to the railings to get a glimpse of the sea. One person even exclaimed, “I saw someone.”
The crew responded by throwing an orange life ring into the water, followed by a smaller one with a flare attached shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, the ship circled above the spot where the incident occurred as the Italian Coast Guard conducted their search.
The cruise director later informed the crew that the search area had been widened.
As of now, the circumstances surrounding how the crew member fell overboard remain unclear.
Reports suggest that the missing crew member was located on the second deck when the fall took place. The Viking Star has the capacity to accommodate up to 930 passengers and around 500 crew members.
The cruise itinerary includes a stop in Sicily before proceeding to Naples and then to Civitavecchia, a coastal city located about an hour from Rome.
