Preliminary Findings Unveiled in the Investigation of Cruise Elevator Crew Fatality

A tragic incident onboard P&O Cruises’ Arvia occurred during routine maintenance, resulting in the death of an electrical technician. The crew member was crushed in an elevator shaft due to equipment defects while the ship was sailing across the Atlantic.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is conducting an investigation into the death, which happened on October 26, 2025, during a voyage that began in Southampton, England, and was headed to Santa Cruz, Tenerife. At the time, Arvia was carrying over 5,000 passengers and 1,600 crew members.

The report details that, around 5:52 a.m. UTC, the technician was engaged in testing a passenger elevator following overnight repairs. The elevator was stationary on deck 11. After encountering a defect with the door release key, which blocked access to the elevator shaft, he moved higher up to deck 14 to get a better view. However, as he was inspecting the top of the elevator, the lift reactivated automatically, leading to the fatal accident.

A medical emergency was declared shortly after, and the technician was pronounced dead by the ship’s doctor at 6:07 a.m. Consequently, the Arvia diverted to A Coruña, Spain, to allow local authorities to recover the body.

The investigation aims to establish the causes of the accident and prevent similar incidents in the future, emphasizing that the focus is not on assigning blame but rather improving safety protocols. A postmortem report is pending to clarify the cause of death definitively, and the investigation continues to scrutinize both equipment defects and safety procedures.

P&O Cruises confirmed the incident the next day and mentioned offering support to the family and colleagues of the deceased crew member without disclosing personal details. The Arvia, recognized as one of P&O’s largest ships, had set sail on a repositioning voyage to Bridgetown, Barbados, shortly before the tragedy.

In reflection, this incident is not isolated; it notably echoes a past occurrence where a crew member on Carnival Cruise Line’s Ecstasy faced a similar fate due to elevator maintenance issues. Such accidents, while rare, underline the importance of stringent safety measures and maintenance checks in the cruise industry.

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