A search is underway in the waters off the coast of Kent after a crew member of the AIDAperla cruise ship reportedly fell overboard. According to reports, the man went missing from the German vessel on Sunday while it was near Ramsgate. The coastguard was alerted at around 9:00 am BST and dispatched a search and rescue crew, including a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft. Meanwhile, the RNLI dispatched all-weather lifeboats from Ramsgate and Dover to join in the search.
AIDA Cruises confirmed the incident in a statement, confirming that the AIDAperla had been travelling from Hamburg to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. The cruise company said that the captain and crew of the ship had promptly initiated all necessary rescue operations, following which a search on board confirmed that a male crew member was missing. The search operations have since been focused on the area where the incident is thought to have occurred.
A spokesperson for AIDA Cruises said the crew had been co-ordinating closely with local authorities, adding that the AIDAperla had slowed down and was returning to the spot where the incident occurred in order to facilitate the search. The company had not shared any further details regarding the incident. Meanwhile, BBC Southeast is following the story and has urged anyone with information or leads to get in touch with the news outlet or the coastguard.
Tragic incidents of cruise ship crew falling overboard have been known to happen in the past, but modern safety systems are designed to prevent such losses. Passengers and crew members are required to wear electronic bracelets that can track their movement across the ship, while most vessels have thermal imaging cameras and drones that can monitor the seas for any signs of incident or accident
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