A MAJOR hunt is under way after a crew member “fell overboard” on a cruise ship off the coast of Ramsgate.
The RNLI and Coastguard have launched a huge search operation this morning after reports the man fell into the English Channel off the east Kent coast.
2020 Getty ImagesA man is believed to have fallen into the sea from the AIDAperla cruise ship[/caption]
He had been on board the German 300m-long cruiseliner AIDAperla making its way from Hamburg to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
AIDA Cruises told The Sun Online there was “reason to believe that a crew member of AIDAperla went overboard in the English channel in the early morning of October 22”.
In a statement, the firm added: “The captain and crew of AIDAperla immediately initiated all necessary rescue measures in close coordination with the local authorities.
“The search on board confirmed that a male crew member is missing
“The ship was immediately stopped and returned to the spot where the incident was believed to have taken part in the search.
“The search for the missing person is ongoing and has our utmost priority.”
The RNLI said they sent out two all-weather lifeboats with the Ramsgate crew getting a call at 8:20am before the Dover crew launched 15 minutes later.
HM Coastguard said: “HM Coastguard is coordinating the search for a man reported overboard from a passenger ship off Ramsgate on 22 October.
“HM Coastguard was alerted at about 8.55am.
“The HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter has been sent from Lydd alongside a Coastguard fixed-wing aircraft and the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboats from Ramsgate and Dover.”
Copyright SRWA major search is under way off the coast of Ramsgate in Kent[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
