A body has been recovered after a passenger went overboard from an 18-deck cruise ship bound for Southampton.

The tragic incident involving the passenger on the MSC Virtuosa sparked a huge search in the middle of the night.

Alarms were raised to passengers aboard the ship at 2am on Saturday, with the ship letting off "loud blasts" and the captain announcing there was a "man overboard," reports The Mirror. The ship slowed down and crews launched the major search.

One passenger said spotlights were used to light up the sea at 2am in a bid to find the missing man. The search covered north of Les Casquets rocks, west of Alderney.

A MSC Cruises spokesperson told Express.co.uk the body has now been found.

They said: "A guest on board MSC Virtuosa went overboard on 12 October, while the ship was sailing to Southampton.

"The body was later recovered with the involvement of the authorities. We are deeply saddened by this tragic event, and our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time. Out of respect for their privacy, we will not be providing further details."

A passenger onboard the ship said: "At about 2am the ship let off loud blasts, I thought the ship was in trouble, then the captain announced 'man overboard, man overboard, port side' the ship slowed down and they had spotlights into the sea looking for him.

"At 2:30 they announced that they have a missing person and their thoughts and prayers are with the family, and that they are slowing the ship and we will be delayed getting to Southampton," reports The Mirror.

One person took to social media website X claiming search crews "didn't look for very long".

They wrote: "So sad seeing the person overboard on the MSC Virtuosa last night. Didn't look for very long but I guess the schedule is more important. Still made us leave our rooms at 7:30! Hope they are found."

The Maltese-flagged vessel was built in France in 2020. It measures 332m (1,089ft) long and boasts 18 decks, accommodation for up to 6,334 passengers and 1,704 crew. Virtuosa was due to arrive in Southampton at 6:15am and depart at 8pm.

The ship also has a 4D cinema, bowling lanes, a casino, a game arcade, and a Formula 1 simulator. Passengers can also visit a theater hosting Broadway-style productions, as well as a lounge featuring Carousel Productions at Sea shows.

Express.co.uk has apprached the UK Coastguard for comment.

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