A WOMAN in her 20s has died after falling from the MSC Virtuosa cruise ship into the English Channel in a horrific 2am plunge.
A passenger from a cruise ship was today winched out of the Channel after falling off the ship in the middle of the night.
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Woman in her 20s dies after falling from MSC VirtuosaCredit: MSC Rights
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An air ambulance used a winch to pull a young woman out of the seaCredit: Air Search Channel Islands
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The video shows an air ambulance worker trying to find the woman. Credit: Channel Islands Aerial Search
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An air ambulance rushed to rescue the womanCredit: Channel Islands Air Search
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The ship is anchored in SouthamptonCredit: Solent
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The crew of a French helicopter tried to rescue the womanCredit: PA
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She was taken to the hospital, but was pronounced dead despite the best efforts of the doctors.
British and French police are now investigating the woman’s death.
The French Coast Guard confirmed on Saturday that an unidentified person went missing from the MSC Virtuosa at around 2am.
The cruise ship was sailing from Lisbon to Southampton when the disaster occurred.
The ship initially sounded the alarm Man in the Sea, as it sounded with loud bangs in the pitch black.
Searchlights were then used to illuminate the sea, while aircraft from France and the Channel Islands attended the scene.
A French Navy helicopter led the search and rescue operation, supported by aircraft from the Channel Islands.
Infrared cameras were used to locate a person who would struggle to survive in cold water.
Tannoy announcements on board described a “missing person search” and asked for “thoughts and prayers”.
At around 3 a.m. French time, an emergency report was received that one person was missing, a coastguard source told The Sun.
The helicopter was flown to the search area north of Les Casquets cliffs, near the Channel Island of Alderney.
An aircraft from Channel Islands Air Search was sent to the scene from Guernsey, along with lifeboat crews from Alderney and France.
The £650m Virtuosa, which has a crew of more than 1,500 and can carry up to 6,300 passengers, stayed in the area before heading to Southampton.
The Virousa is now in Southampton, where detectives have questioned the crew and passengers.
A spokesman said: “A guest on board the MSC Virtuosa went overboard on October 12 while the ship was sailing to Southampton.
“The body was later recovered with the involvement of the authorities.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic event, and our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.
“Out of respect for their privacy, we will not provide further details.”
Hampshire Constabulary said: “Officers have been deployed to assist with inquiries into this incident.
“A woman was reported to have overboarded the MSC Virtuosa in the early hours of this morning and subsequently died.”
The spokesman added: “The investigation is not being conducted by the British authorities.”
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