An urgent search is underway in the Mediterranean Sea after a crew member aboard the Viking Star cruise ship went overboard Monday morning during a voyage between Crete and Sicily, as reported by Fox News.

A spokesperson for Viking Cruises confirmed to Fox News Digital that a crew member was seen going overboard at approximately 11:31 a.m. local time. The ship immediately activated its emergency response procedures and began a coordinated search effort with the Italian Coast Guard.

Viking Star crew member missing after going overboard; search underway with Italian Coast Guard assistance. https://t.co/RpkRZ1lQ9d

— KTMQ 1033 (@Q1033) October 27, 2025

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“The ship initiated a full-scale search in coordination with Italian authorities,” the Viking spokesperson said. “No further details are available at this time.”

The incident occurred during the vessel’s eight-day, seven-night cruise that began in Athens, Greece, with scheduled stops in Turkey, Crete, Sicily, Naples, and Civitavecchia — the port city outside Rome. The overboard alert was made while the ship was en route from Crete to Palermo, Italy.

Passengers onboard said the announcement that a crew member had gone overboard came as a shock. According to a Fox News producer traveling on the cruise, a waiter froze upon hearing the alert as others rushed toward the deck to look out over the water.

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One person was heard shouting, “I see someone,” as passengers peered toward the waves.

Witnesses reported seeing a crew member throw an orange life ring into the sea, followed by another rescue device — a smaller ring with a flare attached.

The Viking Star reportedly slowed to circle the area where the person was last seen while search operations continued under the direction of the Italian Coast Guard.

LOST AT SEA: A search is underway after a Viking Cruises crew member went overboard during a Mediterranean cruise on Monday. pic.twitter.com/Ge70PSrSBG

— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 27, 2025

The ship’s cruise director later made an announcement informing passengers that the search perimeter had been expanded as the Coast Guard continued to sweep the area by air and sea.

As of Monday evening, details regarding the missing crew member — including their identity and the circumstances surrounding the incident — remained unclear.

The Viking Star, a 745-foot ocean liner, can accommodate up to 930 passengers and around 500 crew members. It is one of Viking’s fleet of luxury ocean vessels known for their smaller capacity and focus on destination-based travel.

Following its scheduled stop in Palermo, the ship’s itinerary includes visits to Naples and the port of Civitavecchia before returning to Greece.

Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the search will impact the remainder of the cruise schedule. The Italian Coast Guard continues to lead recovery efforts in the Mediterranean as of Tuesday morning.