Ramsgate RNLI is among the organisations involved in the search for a man who went overboard off Ramsgate today (October 22).
A search is currently being coordinated by HM Coastguard with the Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lydd alongside a Coastguard fixed-wing aircraft and the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboats from Ramsgate and Dover.
The Ramsgate crew launched at 8.20am with the Coastguard then alerted at 8.55am today.
A HM Coastguard spokesperson said: ” HM Coastguard is coordinating the search for a man reported overboard from a passenger ship off Ramsgate on 22 October.
“HM Coastguard was alerted at about 8.55am. The HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter has been sent from Lydd alongside a Coastguard fixed-wing aircraft and the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboats from Ramsgate and Dover.”
It has been confirmed that the man is a crew member aboard German cruise ship Aida Perla which is travelling from Hamburg to Rotterdam.
AIDA Cruises issued a statement today, saying: “AIDA Cruises confirms that there is reason to believe that a crew member of AIDAperla went overboard in the English channel in the early morning of October 22.
“The captain and crew of AIDAperla immediately initiated all necessary rescue measures in close coordination with the local authorities. The search on board confirmed that a male crew member is missing. The ship was immediately stopped and returned to the spot where the incident was believed to have taken part in the search.
“The search for the missing person is ongoing and has our utmost priority.”
