A woman from Canadian nationality died aboard the Regal Princess cruise ship while the ship was making a scheduled stop in the Port of VigoAccording to sources close to the investigation, the passenger suffered an illness that could have been seen aggravated by previous pathologies, which must be confirmed by an autopsy.
The body was discreetly unloaded and taken to the Institute of Legal Medicine of Galicia (Imelga) for the practice of autopsy, an essential step to determine the exact cause of death and manage the repatriation to Canada. Investigating Court No. 1 of Vigo authorized the removal of the body and the initial proceedings.
This is how the events unfolded
The elderly passenger suffered a serious illness During the night when the ship was in port. The ship's medical team provided immediate attention, but the situation could not be reversed before docking in Vigo, where the body disembarkation protocol was activated.
The operation was carried out at the cruise terminal of the Transatlantic dock, coordinated by the Port Police and local emergency services. No further incidents have been reported on board, and The shipping company made available to travelers Psychological Support for those who requested it.
Sources consulted indicate that the Regal Princess sails under the flag of Bermuda, so the judicial intervention in Spanish territory was limited to the necessary certification and transfer procedures to Imelga.
Autopsy and judicial proceedings
The forensic examination on the Imelga in Vigo is standard procedure when a death occurs on a foreign vessel docked in a Spanish port. The judicial commission supervised the transfer and procedures to preserve confidentiality and respect for the family.
From the Court of Instruction No. 1 they indicated that, due to the age and medical history of the deceased, no complications are expected to certify the death once the forensic report is issued. With this document, the authorization for the repatriation of the body to their country of origin.
The ship and its itinerary
The Regal Princess is a mega cruise ship Princess Cruises with capacity for more than 3.000 passengers and around 1.700 crew members. With nearly 330 metres in length and over 140.000 tonnes of gross tonnage, it stands out for its size and its transatlantic character on the route he was taking.
The current crossing connects The current crossing connects Southampton with Galveston (Texas) on a journey of approximately three weeks. After completing the formalities in Vigo, the ship sailed on schedule and maintained its heading to Madeira, without changes to the roadmap.
Although the stopover in Vigo was intended to boost the local tourism During the day, the news of the death overshadowed the visit. Despite this, the Port Authority managed the disembarkation and the day's operations without interruptions significant for the rest of the passengers.
Passenger service and onboard protocols
In this type of long-distance cruises, where the middle Ages of travelers is usually high, and shipping companies have medical services and contingency protocols for health emergencies. In this case, these procedures were activated both on the ship and on land.
In addition to the health device, the company enabled resources of emotional assistance for passengers who may have been affected by the incident. No additional incidents were reported, and the rest of the trip continued as normal.
The incident leaves a mark of regret among the passengers and the crew, while highlighting the coordination between the docking services, the judicial authority and the cruise ship staff to handle these types of situations quickly and respectfully.
The combination of a rapid interventionThe Imelga's work and compliance with protocols allowed the planned itinerary to be maintained, progress to certify the causes of death, and the repatriation process to be initiated, while the Regal Princess resumed its route to Madeira.
