During a western Mediterranean voyage, the Sapphire Princess was compelled to deviate from her planned course following an incident that began as a routine watch. In the late afternoon of April 21st, a crew member observed an orange object adrift and reported it to the bridge, prompting an immediate alert. What was initially considered a possible man-overboard situation led the officers to order the vessel to turn and investigate. The object was subsequently identified as a lifejacket.
As the ship maneuvered in the vicinity, further observation revealed a more serious situation. Five bodies were sighted in the water approximately 140 miles off Cabo de Palos, in the waters between Spain and North Africa. The vessel initiated a search and recovery operation, deploying lifeboats and conducting a methodical sweep of the surrounding area to ensure no additional persons were present.
Over the course of approximately three hours, the crew recovered the bodies. The ship’s command later indicated that the deceased were neither passengers nor crew members. Preliminary assessments by authorities suggested that the individuals could have been migrants connected to a vessel previously reported missing or found adrift in the region.
The atmosphere on board shifted markedly following the discovery. Public areas were subdued, with measures taken to reflect the gravity of the situation. The ship’s captain addressed those on board, conveying the circumstances and advising that support services were being made available to both guests and crew affected by the incident.
Upon arrival in Cartagena, the remains were transferred ashore for further examination. Local authorities have initiated an investigation to establish the identities of the individuals and the circumstances that led to their presence at sea.
For more Sapphire Princess incidents and accidents, see the ship's CruiseMinus page