Interim Findings Launched in Investigation Into Cruise Elevator Crew Loss of life

Key Facets:

• A brand new investigation reveals the most recent findings of a crew member’s loss of life on P&O Cruises’ Arvia.
• The crew electrical technician died after being crushed inside an elevator shaft because of tools defects.
• The investigation is ongoing and targeted on stopping future accidents.

A routine upkeep examine aboard one of many world’s largest cruise ships turned deadly when a crew member grew to become trapped inside an elevator shaft whereas the vessel was crusing within the Atlantic, in line with a new investigation report.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Department (MAIB), engaged on behalf of the Bermuda Transport and Maritime Authority, is analyzing the loss of life of {an electrical} technician aboard P&O Cruises’ Arvia, a Bermuda-registered vessel.

The incident occurred October 26, 2025, because the vessel, carrying greater than 5,000 passengers and 1,600 crew members, sailed from Southampton, England, to Santa Cruz, Tenerife, in Spain’s Canary Islands.

At about 5:52 a.m. UTC, the technician and the ship’s workers electro-technical officer have been testing a passenger elevator following in a single day repairs. The elevator had been stopped on deck 11 whereas testing was carried out from contained in the automobile.

The report reveals the technician left to examine the highest of the elevator from larger decks however bumped into an issue on deck 12. A defect prevented the door launch key from working, blocking entry to the elevator shaft. He then moved as much as deck 14 to entry it.

Moments later, the raise reactivated robotically.

Based on the interim report, security interlocks have been restored as soon as the raise doorways closed on the 2022-built vessel, and a saved name sign triggered the elevator to maneuver upward, crushing the technician between the automobile and the shaft wall.

A medical emergency was declared at 6:02 a.m., and the crew member was pronounced useless by the ship’s physician at 6:07 a.m. The ship diverted to A Coruña, Spain, the place native emergency companies recovered the physique.

Learn Additionally: Carnival Cruise Line’s Sensible Elevators: Useful or Complicated?

The investigation stresses the report’s launch is concentrated on security slightly, not blame, stating, “The only goal of a security investigation into an accident below there rules shall be the prevention of future accidents by means of the ascertainment of its causes and circumstances.”

The reason for loss of life stays pending a postmortem report, and the investigation is ongoing. Investigators now say a mixture of kit defects and security procedures is below shut assessment. 

What Occurred Aboard Arvia

The loss of life of {the electrical} technician aboard Arvia was first confirmed to Cruise Hive by P&O Cruises the day after the accident. The cruise line mentioned {that a} crew member had died following an onboard accident whereas the ship was two days right into a transatlantic crusing.

At the moment, the corporate mentioned it was providing “each doable assist” to the household, mates, and colleagues of the crew member with out releasing his title or position.

Arvia, one of many largest ships within the P&O Cruises fleet, had departed Southampton on October 24 for a repositioning voyage to Bridgetown, Barbados.

After being rerouted to A Coruña, the ship remained in port for a number of hours, and native authorities then confirmed a office accident concerned a “deceased crew member.”

It’s not the primary time elevator upkeep was the reason for loss of life for a crew member. In December 2015, a member of crew on Carnival Cruise Line’s Ecstasy was additionally pinned between the automobile and the shaft wall whereas engaged on an elevator. The ship was in port in Florida on the time.

Elevator methods on cruise ships are closely regulated and inspected, particularly as a result of vessels can carry 1000’s of passengers and crew throughout many decks. 

When the uncommon incident does happen, they sometimes contain upkeep or testing eventualities and never routine passenger use.