Sapphire Princess recovers five bodies at sea

Sapphire Princess five bodies
Credit: Princess Cruises

A routine voyage turned grim when the cruise ship Sapphire Princess recovered five bodies in the western Mediterranean, underscoring the ongoing risks of migrant crossings. The Maritime Telegraph reports the incident occurred mid-journey, far from shore.

While sailing between Cagliari and Cartagena, the crew spotted a lifejacket drifting about 80 nautical miles off Algiers and changed course. One body was found first, followed by four more within an hour. None were connected to the ship.

The vessel later continued to port and handed the bodies over to authorities. Spanish officials are now examining a possible link to a migrant boat found earlier near Murcia, where two survivors said they had left North Africa weeks before. The case highlights the continuing human cost of migration across the western Mediterranean.

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