October 22nd 2023.
On Sunday morning, a major search operation was launched after an individual was reported to have gone overboard from the German cruiseliner Aida Perla off the coast of Kent near Ramsgate. HM Coastguard responded immediately to the alert, coordinating the search with the help of the RNLI and Coastguard.
The rescue mission is taking place off the east coast of Kent and the RNLI sent out two all-weather lifeboats with the Ramsgate crew receiving the call at 8.20am while the Dover crew launched 15 minutes later at 8.35am.
The boat, which left Hamburg on Friday evening, is currently sitting off the English coast; eyewitnesses said the boat turned 180 degrees in the water mid-morning. The Coastguard has also sent one of its search and rescue airplanes, which is equipped with high-tech radar equipment that can detect people in the water from the sky.
German cruise ship operator AIDA released a statement confirming that a male crew member had gone overboard and that the search is ongoing. They said that the captain and crew of AIDAperla had immediately initiated all necessary rescue measures in close coordination with the local authorities.
The tracking data suggests that two RNLI lifeboats and a search and rescue helicopter remain at the scene as of 1pm. Storm Babet has battered the UK with heavy winds and massive downpours, further complicating the rescue mission.
HM Coastguard is still leading the search for the missing man, with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency saying: ‘The search for the missing person is ongoing and has our utmost priority.’
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