FIVE bodies have been pulled from the sea after cruise staff spotted an orange life jacket floating off the coast of Spain.
The bodies were recovered in an agonising three-hour mission, leaving cruise passengers on the Sapphire Princess “shaking”.
Sign up for The Jattvibe newsletter
Thank you!
Five bodies were pulled from the Mediterranean sea in front of horrified holidaymakers Credit: SWNS
A desperate rescue mission was sparked after an orange object was spotted in the ocean Credit: SWNS
An orange object – that turned out to be a lifejacket – was spotted floating in the Mediterranean sea by Sapphire Princess staff at around 6pm on Tuesday.
The cruise ship quickly changed its course and deployed a rescue boat – but when the crew reached the life jacket, they found a dead body.
Harrowing footage shows the body of a male, wearing a purple top and black shorts, being pulled into a lifeboat.
It is then covered with a canvas and moved onto the cruise ship.
CRUISE HORROR
Woman, 77, falls overboard from cruise ship as rescue teams call off search
CRUISE DEATH
Mum, 66, falls overboard on cruise after ‘being served too much booze’
The ship moved off again, but around an hour later another orange life jacket was spotted and the crew recovered a second body.
Videos show three further bodies being pulled onto the cruise ship before the captain announced that the recovery mission was complete.
The Sapphire Princess, carrying more than 3,000 passengers, was on a 14-day voyage that left Rome on April 19 and is set to reach Copenhagen on May 3.
It was around 140 miles off the coast of Cabo de Palos, Spain, when the bodies were found.
A passenger, who did not want to be named, said: “It was very sad to watch. I was shaking inside.
“The crew were very good at keeping everyone calm, but everyone was shocked.
“From what I saw I think they were migrants.
“The crew treated them with respect and we were all offered counselling.”
Medical staff examined the bodies and took them to the ship’s hold.
Police think the bodies were connected to a small boat that was found adrift earlier in the week, around 25 miles off Cartagena.
Sapphire Princess cruise passengers were left shaking by what they sawCredit: Princess Cruises
It had been spotted by a French military vessel, who raised the alarm.
Rescuers found two survivors and three dead bodies.
The survivors told police the boat had left Mostaganem, Algeria, with around 18 people onboard, leaving 13 missing.
Police are working to establish if the five people found by the Sapphire Princess are part of that group.
Sources told Murcia Today that one of the two survivors has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and facilitating illegal immigration.
The bodies are thought to be migrants attempting to make the treacherous journey from Algeria to Spain, which takes around 20 to 30 hours.
Princess Cruises said: “Princess Cruises confirms that on April 21, Sapphire Princess, while at sea en route to Cartagena, Spain, observed an orange inflatable lifejacket in the water.
“The vessel immediately altered course to investigate and, upon arrival on scene, deployed its Fast Rescue Boat.
“Five deceased individuals were recovered by the Sapphire Princess crew members and coordinated efforts with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC).
“The individuals involved are not guests or crew of Sapphire Princess.
“We extend our sincere condolences for this loss and are grateful to our crew for their swift response and efforts to render assistance.”
