British man falls from TUI-operated cruise ship near Tenerife

The search for a British man who fell overboard from a cruise ship off the coast of Tenerife continues.

The Spanish coastguard said it had been coordinating search and rescue efforts for the 76-year-old since 09:48 local time (09:48 GMT) on Thursday.

The incident occurred on the TUI-operated Marella Explorer 2, located just northwest of the Spanish island.

Marella Cruises said the man “was seen entering the water while the ship was en route to La Gomera,” adding that it was supporting his family and working with local authorities.

In a statement made by the coast guard, it was stated that the ship participated in the search before docking in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the early hours of Friday.

Local media reports stated that the ship was heading towards the Canary Islands from the Portuguese island of Madeira when the incident occurred.

The BBC has contacted the Foreign Office for comment.