Spanish authorities are scouring parts of the Atlantic Ocean for an elderly British tourist who toppled overboard on a cruise Thursday.
The unidentified 76-year-old passenger plummeted off the edge of the TUI Marella Explorer 2 cruise ship on Nov. 27. At the time, the vessel was roughly 19 miles from Punta de Teno, a nature reserve on the coast of Tenerife, Spain, local outlet El Dia reported.
The Spanish coast guard told UK outlet Metro that it started conducting searches for the passenger the same day he disappeared. They hadn’t recovered anything as of Saturday, according to the outlet.
It’s unclear how exactly the man fell overboard.
The TUI group confirmed that the missing guest was last “seen entering the water while the ship was on passage to La Gomera,” according to a statement obtained by People.
“Our thoughts are with the individual and their loved ones during this difficult time. Our dedicated care team is supporting the family, providing assistance and comfort. We are working closely with local authorities and will continue to offer every possible support,” TUI wrote.
La Gomera is one of the seven islands that make up the Canary Islands. At the time, the cruise was chartering from Madeira, a Portuguese archipelago, to the Canary Islands, El Dia reported.
The Post reached out to TUI for comment.
El Dia reported that the ship’s captain activated the vessel’s “man overboard” protocol once they realized the man was missing, which included extensive reviews of the cameras, circular search maneuvers and launching multiple marker rafts.
Search efforts were later supplemented with the coastguard’s resources, including two specialized vessels and an emergency helicopter, the outlet reported.
The Marella Explorer 2, a hulking 800-foot vessel that can carry more than 2,100 passengers, later set sail for a new trip through the Canary Islands on Nov. 28, according to CruiseMapper.
Last week, a 73-year-old passenger on a Disney Wonder cruise was presumed dead after he leapt overboard into some of Australia’s roughest waters.
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