A Viking Star crew member went overboard in the Mediterranean Sea during a cruise on Monday, prompting the Italian Coast Guard to launch a search. A spokesperson for Viking Cruises confirmed the incident, stating the crew member was seen going overboard at 11:31 a.m. local time. The ship initiated an emergency response and coordinated with the Italian Coast Guard, with the search area later expanded by the cruise director.
During the eight-day, seven-night Viking ocean cruise, which began in Athens, Greece, and sailed to Turkey and Crete, an announcement over the ship’s PA system informed passengers of the incident. The event shocked passengers, with a Fox News producer noting the visible reaction of a waiter and others rushing to the railings to scan the ocean. A crew member was seen tossing an orange life ring into the water before deploying a smaller ring with an attached flare.
The ship slowly circled the area where the crew member went overboard as the Italian Coast Guard conducted a maritime search. Details about the missing crew member and the circumstances of the incident remain unclear, with no further information released by Viking Cruises at this time. The Viking Star, which can carry up to 930 passengers and about 500 crew members, is scheduled to continue its journey to Naples and Civitavecchia, a coastal city near Rome, after stopping in Sicily.