Cruise Ship Passenger in Her 20's, Fatally Falls Overboard

Photo byJan Gajdosik | Dreamstime

A young woman in her 20s tragically lost her life after falling overboard from a cruise ship near the Channel Islands, a group of picturesque islands located in the English Channel, off the coast of France.

According to news reports, the incident occurred around 2:00 AM BST north of Les Casquets rocks, west of Alderney.

Following a distress call, French search and rescue services deployed a helicopter to the area.

The casualty, a passenger aboard the MSC Virtuosa, was successfully winched from the sea but was later pronounced dead by medical professionals.

Joint investigations into the circumstances surrounding the woman's death are being conducted by UK and French police.

A comprehensive search operation was launched involving multiple agencies. A plane from Channel Islands Air Search, lifeboat crews from Alderney and France, and the French helicopter crew based near Cherbourg all participated in the efforts to locate the missing woman.

The MSC Virtuosa, the cruise ship from which the passenger fell, is currently docked at Southampton.

Representatives of the ship's owners have been contacted for comment but have not yet issued a public statement.