MSC Virtuosa cruise horror as 'man overboard' in Channel sparking huge search

The MSC Virtuosa, described as a "giant floating town" with 18 decks and a capacity of more than 6,000 passengers, set off an announcement in the early hours of Saturday morning after the passenger went missing in the Channel.

A passenger is feared to have gone overboard from the 18-deck MSC Virtuosa cruise ship, triggering a massive search operation in the dead of night.

The alarm was raised aboard the vessel at 2am on Saturday, with "loud blasts" sounding and the captain announcing a "man overboard", causing the ship to reduce speed while the crew commenced an extensive search. Spotlights were deployed to scour the sea around 2am near the Les Casquets rocks, west of Alderney, in hopes of locating the missing individual. A traveller recounted to the Mirror the startling moment when the blasts were heard and the ship's journey to Southampton was subsequently delayed, reports the Mirror.

They shared: "At about 2am the ship let off loud blasts, I thought the ship was in trouble, then the captain announced 'man overboard, man overboard, port side' the ship slowed down and they had spotlights into the sea looking for him. At 2:30 they announced that they have a missing person and their thoughts and prayers are with the family, and that they are slowing the ship and we will be delayed getting to Southampton."

One individual took to social media, criticising the search efforts for a person overboard on the MSC Virtuosa. They wrote: "So sad seeing the person overboard on the MSC Virtuosa last night. Didn't look for very long but I guess the schedule is more important. Still made us leave our rooms at 7:30! Hope they are found."

The ship, flying under the Maltese flag and built in France in 2020, measures a staggering 332m (1,089ft) in length and has 18 decks, with room for up to 6,334 passengers and 1,704 crew members.

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The Virtuosa was scheduled to dock in Southampton at 6:15am and set sail again at 8pm. On board, passengers can enjoy a range of entertainment options including a 4D cinema, bowling lanes, a casino, a game arcade, and a Formula 1 simulator.

There's also a theatre hosting Broadway-style productions and a lounge featuring Carousel Productions at Sea shows. The Mirror has reached out to the UK Coastguard, French Coastguard and the cruise ship for a statement.

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