Overview
- The Sapphire Princess crew, which spotted an orange lifejacket on April 21 while sailing to Cartagena, recovered five bodies from the water.
- The captain directed a course change and launched the ship’s fast rescue boat during a search coordinated with Spain’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Center.
- Princess Cruises said the deceased were not passengers or crew, and the company has not released any identities.
- Spain’s National Police are examining whether the deaths tie to a small boat found adrift near Cartagena earlier in the week, with reports of additional missing people unconfirmed.
- The law of the sea requires commercial ships to help people in distress, so cruise crews work with national rescue coordinators during recoveries like this.