On February 14, 2024, a deeply unlucky occasion occurred as an American passenger tragically misplaced his life after falling off MSC World Europa. The incident passed off whereas the ship was docked in Valletta’s Grand Harbour in Malta.
Tragic Fall from MSC Cruises Ship
Moments earlier than its scheduled departure on February 14, MSC World Europa witnessed a heartbreaking accident as a 72-year-old American man fell overboard whereas the ship was nonetheless docked at Valletta’s Grand Harbour.
Fast efforts to rescue the person have been launched, and a safety VHF message was shortly issued, alerting the Armed Forces of Malta and the Civil Safety Division.
The person was swiftly recovered by a life raft from the liner, as reported by the Pilot Boat Foxtrot at 4:33 p.m. (1633 hours). Nevertheless, the report famous the person gave the impression to be unconscious.
The Harbour Pilot’s report confirmed the sufferer’s transport to the hospital by 5:12 p.m. (1712 hours), highlighting the immediate and coordinated response to the emergency.
Regardless of speedy medical intervention and his pressing transportation to Mater Dei Hospital, the person was pronounced lifeless shortly after his arrival.
The diligent efforts of the ship’s crew, native pilots, and emergency companies are evident in recorded movies of the incident circulating on social media.
The incident has led to an official inquiry by Justice of the Peace Charmaine Galea, with police investigations presently underway to find out the small print of the tragic occasion.
Ship’s Itinerary
MSC World Europa, a World-class ship that boasts a passenger capability of over 6,000, is a 205,700-ton vessel with 21 decks.
The biggest of MSC Cruises’ fleet, the vessel launched into its “7-Evening Western Mediterranean” cruise, from Barcelona, Spain, on February 9, making stops in Marseille, France; Genoa and Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; and Palermo, Sicily, earlier than its scheduled name in La Valletta, Malta on February 14.
The ship arrived in Malta at 9 a.m. (0900 hours) and was slated to depart again to Barcelona at 5 p.m. (1700 hours) when the incident passed off.
Current Incidents
The unlucky occasion on MSC World Europa follows a string of overboard incidents on MSC Cruise ships.
In one other distressing occasion, a passenger went overboard from MSC Preziosa within the early hours of December 30, 2023. On the time, the ship was heading to Angra dos Reis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for New 12 months’s Eve celebrations. Regardless of intensive search and rescue efforts, the male passenger was not situated.
The same case concerned a crew member from MSC Seascape, who went lacking on November 14, 2023, because the ship sailed towards the Dominican Republic from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Regardless of a large-scale search operation documented on social media and involving the US Coast Guard over 887 sq. nautical miles, the 30-year-old crew member of Indian nationality was not discovered.
Yearly, the maritime trade sees a median of 20 overboard circumstances worldwide. Opposite to widespread perception, falling overboard doesn’t invariably result in demise. The possibility of survival is considerably influenced by the velocity of the rescue operation, the situations on the time of the incident, and environmental components like sea temperatures and climate situations.
Most not too long ago, for instance, a Turkish man intentionally jumped from MSC Bellissima whereas it docked in Noha, Japan, surviving the incident. The act, captured by onboard crew members on February 1, 2024, violated immigration legal guidelines for illegally getting into Japan, resulting in his arrest after he swam ashore.
Within the occasion of an overboard scenario, the ship’s crew, together with different ships and maritime authorities, are mobilized to conduct search and rescue operations, highlighting the inherent dangers and significant significance of emergency preparedness and response in maritime operations.
