Channel search ends for man overboard from cruise ship off Ramsgate
- Published
The AIDAperla was travelling from Hamburg to Spain when the man fell overboard
A major search for a man who fell overboard from a cruise ship in the sea off the coast of Kent has ended.
HM Coastguard was alerted at about 09:00 BST on Sunday after a crew member disappeared from the German vessel AIDAperla off Ramsgate.
A nine-hour search for the man was unsuccessful and the AIDAperla resumed its journey to Spain on Sunday night.
AIDA Cruises said its thoughts were "with the family of the missing person and his colleagues".
"In addition, we are in close contact with his family and the AIDAperla crew," it said.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency confirmed the search, which involved a helicopter and RNLI lifeboats, ended at about 18:00 BST on Sunday.
AIDA Cruises said the vessel was "released from the search operation after dark and resumed its journey towards La Coruña" in north west Spain.
The AIDAperla was travelling from Hamburg in Germany to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands when the man went missing, AIDA Cruises said.
A spokesman previously said: "The ship was immediately stopped and returned to the spot where the incident was believed to have taken place and took part in the search."
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