TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Taiwanese passenger aboard the Norwegian Spirit cruise liner reportedly fell overboard and drowned on Thursday (Aug. 8) as the ship was crossing the East China Sea.
The man fell into the sea at around 11 a.m. Witnesses immediately informed the crew and three crew members on a lifeboat were dispatched to retrieve the man. The crew members found the man around noon but he showed no signs of life, reported UDN.
The incident forced the ship to suspend tour operations. The vessel's owner, Norwegian Cruise Line, has dispatched an emergency response team to assist passengers affected by the incident, per UDN.
The Norwegian Spirit was at the tail end of a planned six-day tour, which departed from Keelung, Taiwan on Aug. 4. After stops at Nagasaki, Japan, and South Korea’s Jeju Island, the ship was on its way back to Taiwan, where it arrived on Friday (Aug. 9).
The company will investigate the incident and submit a report to local authorities. Out of respect for the victim and his family members, the man’s name and other personal information have not been made public.
