Tributes Paid to Cruise Ship Passenger Who Died After Going Overboard Off the UK Coast

A woman has been identified as the victim who tragically fell overboard from a cruise ship heading to Southampton near the Channel Islands.

The sad incident occurred on the Maltese-flagged MSC Virtuosa north of Les Casquets rocks, located west of Alderney, during the early hours of Saturday (12 October).

This led to a significant search and rescue operation involving the French coastguard, navy, and an air search plane, resulting in the discovery of the woman’s body in the water.

On Wednesday, the Colombian consulate in London announced the woman’s name as Jessica Andrea Gómez Granda. The 28-year-old Colombian national was confirmed through authorities in Paris, and her family has been informed, stated a spokesperson.

In the aftermath of the disaster, those aboard the cruise ship recounted their shock over the incident.

One traveler, who asked to be known simply as Neil, remembered the sound of an alarm ringing three times, signaling that someone had fallen overboard.

He stated: “I went up with many other passengers to see what was happening. About thirty minutes later, the cruise director informed us that they were looking for a missing passenger, which would postpone our arrival in Southampton.”

The MSC Virtuosa, a cruise vessel registered under the Maltese flag, has the capacity to carry up to 6,334 passengers along with 1,704 crew members, and it arrived in Southampton at approximately 8am on Saturday after traveling from Cartagena, Spain.

The owner of the ship, MSC Cruises, informed The Independent on Sunday: “A guest aboard MSC Virtuosa went overboard on 12 October while the vessel was en route to Southampton. The body was subsequently recovered with the assistance of the authorities.”

“This tragic incident has left us deeply saddened, and our thoughts are with the family during this challenging time. In consideration of their privacy, we will refrain from sharing additional details.”

French police are leading the investigation into Ms. Gómez Granda’s death, collaborating with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary to collect further information.

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