Cruise passenger, 75, killed after jumping off balcony of eighth-floor room
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An Italian cruise line Tuesday confirmed the death of a 75-year-old passenger who jumped from the eighth-floor balcony of their cabin aboard the Costa Cruise ship Costa Pacifica following a major search-and-rescue operation to recover the body.
A company spokesperson said crew members were alerted by a witness who allegedly saw the unnamed passenger "voluntarily jump from the balcony of their cabin" at approximately 10:45 p.m. on Oct. 10.
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Officials have thus far declined to release personal information about the victim. Newsweek reported that the cruise line said the victim was a woman.
In a statement released earlier Wednesday, the cruise line reported the ship was sailing between Funchal and Malaga off the Portugal coast when the incident occurred.
A 75-year-old unidentified Costa Cruise line passenger aboard the Costa Pacifica was killed on Oct. 10 when she was seen by a witness jumping off the eighth-floor balcony of the ship. (istock)
The captain, the statement said, immediately reversed the ship and began a search of the location. In addition, local search and rescue personnel and two helicopters were activated.
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The body of the missing woman was later retrieved in Gulf of Cadiz at around 9 a.m. on Friday, the NATO Allied Maritime Command confirmed in a statement.
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German cruise ship news outlet Schiffe und Kreuzfahrten reported the crew of Costa Pacifica searched for the missing person until 2 a.m. but called the operation off because of an unrelated medical emergency.
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On Twitter, 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.
Last month, a 35-year-old crew member of the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Rhapsody of the Seas died after going overboard while the liner was docked in Croatia.
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The Costa Cruises statement offered condolences to the family and said the family is “in our thoughts and prayers.”