A crew member on P&O Cruises’ vessel Arvia died following a workplace accident on October 26th, 2025, two days after Arvia departed Southampton on a 14-day Transatlantic repositioning cruise to Bridgetown, Barbados.
The incident led to an unscheduled stop in La Coruña, Spain.
Spanish authorities confirmed that emergency services, including fire and rescue teams, boarded the ship and remained on board for several hours while initial assessments were carried out. Arvia later resumed the voyage toward Tenerife once the response operations were complete.
P&O reported that an internal investigation is underway and that the matter is also being examined by the relevant maritime and local authorities. The company has stated that support is being provided both to the deceased crew member’s family and to colleagues onboard affected by the loss.
According to preliminary reports from maritime sources, the crew member, identified as being from the Philippines, sustained fatal injuries in an elevator-related accident. Official findings have not yet been released pending the conclusion of formal inquiries.
Passengers were informed of the situation by the ship’s captain once Arvia had reached port, and the vessel’s schedule was briefly adjusted to accommodate the emergency procedures. The atmosphere onboard was described as subdued as the crew and guests acknowledged the loss of a fellow seafarer.
For more P&O Arvia incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.