British passenger is found dead on cruise ship near Crete

A British tourist was found dead on a cruise ship off the coast of Crete.

The 79-year-old man was found unresponsive on the deck of the ship and was given first aid, but he was taken to hospital and died on Tuesday morning.

According to the local coast guard, the incident occurred while the ship was sailing near Crete, forcing it to dock on the Greek island.

Chania Port Authority is conducting a preliminary investigation into the Briton’s death and has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

It is unclear at this time whether the man was on the ship alone or with his family.

The Daily Mail has approached the Foreign Office for comment.

The tragedy follows the death of a British man on a cruise ship passing through Corfu earlier this month.

The 67-year-old young man died while on the ship ‘flying the Maltese flag’ in the port of the Greek Island.

In a statement, the Port Authority said: ‘This morning, the Corfu Port Authority was informed that a 67-year-old foreign passenger (British national) had died on a cruise ship (C/Z) flying the Maltese flag in the port of Corfu.

‘The body was transferred to Corfu General Hospital for autopsy.

‘A preliminary investigation is being carried out by the Corfu Central Port Authority.’

Both incidents in Greece took place just two months after cruise ship passengers were stunned to learn that their captains had tragically died in the middle of their 19-day cruise in Asia.

In May, Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess was devastated when guests received a letter informing them of the sudden death of Captain Michele Bartolomei.

The 52-year-old man, who lived in Canada, died due to a medical emergency and was discovered when the ship docked in Keelung, Taiwan.

Before passengers were officially notified, an announcement was made over the boat’s loudspeaker urging the medical team to respond to the emergency, according to Crew Centre.

The holidaymakers were unnerved by the message, but the real shock came when they learned it was about the man leading the journey.

Princess Cruises shared a heartfelt message: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Captain Michele Bartolomei, a beloved member of the Princess Cruises family whose career at sea spanned more than 30 years.”

In a letter to passengers to ease concerns, the cruise line said ‘our commitment to your safety and the smooth running of this cruise remains our top priority’.

According to the New York Times, cruise ships have morgues to store bodies in case someone dies at sea.

This area is usually a stainless steel refrigeration room on the lowest deck of a cruise ship. It is usually designed to fit two to 10 bodies.

This is breaking news, more will follow.