Tunisian Crew Member Rescued After Fall in Crete Port

A tense rescue operation took place Tuesday afternoon at the Port of Souda in Crete after a 30-year-old woman working aboard a cruise ship unexpectedly went overboard.

The individual, a Tunisian national employed as an assistant seaman, fell into the water while the Bahamas-flagged cruise vessel was docked. The circumstances surrounding her fall are still unknown, and Greek officials have launched an investigation to determine what happened.

The Hellenic Coast Guard quickly responded, deploying patrol units, a rescue boat, and support from a port launch. Crew members aboard the ship also acted promptly, throwing a life jacket into the sea to aid the rescue effort.

The woman was located and brought to safety by a Coast Guard vessel. Upon returning to shore, she was alert and received an initial medical evaluation from the ship’s doctor, who confirmed that she was in stable condition.

The Chania Port Authority issued a statement saying:

"In the afternoon hours yesterday, the Chania Port Authority was informed of the fall of a woman into the sea, in the port of Souda. Immediately, LS-EL.AKT patrol vehicles went to the scene, while with the assistance of a launch and a cruise ship (C/Z), flagged in the Bahamas, from which a life jacket was thrown, the woman was retrieved conscious. She is a 30-year-old foreigner (Tunisian citizen) sailor (specialty of assistant), a crew member of the above C/Z. The 30-year-old, after examination by the C/Z's doctor, was diagnosed as being in good health."

The Chania Port Authority is currently conducting a preliminary inquiry into the incident. No further information has been disclosed at this time regarding the events that led up to the fall.