Multiple news outlets report that a 75 year old woman “voluntarily” jumped from the 8th deck balcony of her state room while she was traveling aboard the Costa Pacifica.
The vessel was sailing between Funchal, off the coast of Portugal, and Malaga in Spain on October 10th when the incident occurred.
A search and rescue operation by the NATO Allied Maritime Command ensued after the cruise ship became aware of the overboard passenger. The woman’s body was recovered in the Gulf of Cadiz on Friday morning, October 11th.
The Maritime Safety and Rescue Society, known locally as Salvamento Marítimo, said a rescue tug boat Maria Zambrano recovered the body and took the remains to Algeciras.
NATO reported it sent several ships to the area included the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley, a French Maritime Patrol Aircraft and a Spanish Search and Rescue helicopter.
Costa Cruises, which operates the cruise ship, offered condolences to the family and said the woman’s relatives are in our “thoughts and prayers”.
The identity of the woman has not been released and reasons for her going overboard are being investigated.