Princess Cruise Ship Pulls 5 Bodies From the Ocean

A Princess Cruises ship made a sobering discovery while sailing through the Mediterranean Sea last week.

Sapphire Princess Recovers Five Bodies at Sea

On April 21, the crew aboard the Sapphire Princess spotted something alarming in the water. They saw an orange inflatable life jacket floating nearby while the ship was sailing toward Cartagena, Spain. The crew quickly changed course to investigate.

The ship deployed its Fast Rescue Boat to check out the area. What they found was heartbreaking.

What Happened

According to a statement Princess Cruises shared with USA TODAY, “Five deceased individuals were recovered by the Sapphire Princess crew members and coordinated efforts with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC).”

The Sapphire Princess had left Civitavecchia, Italy, on April 19. It was on a two-week voyage heading to Copenhagen, Denmark. Cartagena, Spain, was one of its scheduled stops along the way.

Princess Cruises confirmed the five individuals were not passengers or crew from the ship. Their identities have not been released.

Princess Cruises Responds

The cruise line expressed its condolences in its official statement. “We extend our sincere condolences for this loss and are grateful to our crew for their swift response and efforts to render assistance,” the company said.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Center was involved in the recovery efforts. They had not responded to media requests for additional comment at the time of this report.

Not the First Rescue for Princess This Year

This isn’t the first time a Princess ship has responded to an emergency at sea in recent months. Back in February, the Regal Princess rescued four people from a small vessel that was in distress during a Caribbean cruise.

These incidents serve as a reminder of how cruise ship crews are trained to respond in emergencies. Their fast action can — and does — save lives.