Costa Cruises has confirmed that a 75-year old passenger has died from jumping off an eighth-floor balcony cabin aboard the Costa Pacifica.
The incident took place on Oct. 10; Costa confirmed the death on Oct. 16. The passenger was not identified.
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A company spokesperson said crew members were alerted by a witness who allegedly saw the passenger “voluntarily jump from the balcony of their cabin” at approximately 10:45 p.m. on Oct. 10.
The Pacifica was sailing between Funchal and Malaga off the coast of Portugal when the incident occurred.
German cruise ship news outlet Schiffe und Kreuzfahrten reported the captain immediately turned the ship around and the crew of Costa Pacifica searched for the missing person until 2:00 a.m. but called the operation off because of an unrelated medical emergency.
The body of the passenger was later found in the Gulf of Cadiz at around 9 a.m. on Friday, the NATO Allied Maritime Command confirmed in a statement.
NATO sent several ships to the area, including one from the U.S., one from France and one from Spain.
In a statement, Costa Cruises offered condolences to the family and said the family is “in our thoughts and prayers.”
