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April 24, 2026, 2:04 p.m. ET
A Princess Cruises ship recovered five bodies from the water while on its way to Spain.
The crew aboard Sapphire Princess “observed an orange inflatable lifejacket in the water” on April 21 while sailing to Cartagena, the cruise line told USA TODAY. The ship departed from Civitavecchia, Italy, for a two-week cruise to Copenhagen on April 19, according to CruiseMapper.
The vessel changed course to investigate and deployed its Fast Rescue Boat.
“Five deceased individuals were recovered by the Sapphire Princess crew members and coordinated efforts with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC),” the company said in an emailed statement. The cruise line did not identify the individuals, but confirmed they were not guests or employees from the ship.
“We extend our sincere condolences for this loss and are grateful to our crew for their swift response and efforts to render assistance,” the cruise line added. The MRCC could not immediately be reached for comment.
The news comes after another Princess ship, Regal Princess, rescued four people from a small vessel in distress during a Caribbean cruise in February.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
