Cruise Ship Passenger Found Dead on Deck 

A British tourist has died after being found unresponsive on the deck of a cruise ship sailing off the coast of Crete, in yet another tragedy involving a British passenger on a cruise in Greece.

The 79-year-old man was discovered on the ship’s deck and given first aid before being rushed to a hospital on the Greek island. He died Tuesday morning, according to local authorities.

The incident reportedly forced the cruise ship to dock in Crete as emergency officials responded.

The Chania Port Authority has launched a preliminary investigation into the man’s death and ordered an autopsy to determine exactly what happened. Authorities have not yet said whether the passenger was traveling alone or with family.

A spokesperson for the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office told the Daily Mail: “We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Greece and are in contact with the local authorities.”

The death comes after another British man died aboard a cruise ship in Greece earlier this month.

In that case, a 67-year-old British passenger died while the vessel was docked at the port of Corfu. The cruise ship was flying the Maltese flag, according to the local port authority.

“The body was transferred to the Corfu General Hospital for an autopsy,” the Corfu Port Authority said in a statement, adding that a preliminary investigation was being handled by the Corfu Central Port Authority.

The two deaths come just months after passengers aboard a Princess Cruises ship were left stunned when their captain died in the middle of a 19-day voyage through Asia.

Captain Michele Bartolomei, 52, died in May after suffering a medical emergency while the Diamond Princess was docked in Keelung, Taiwan. Passengers first heard an urgent announcement over the ship’s loudspeaker calling for medical staff to respond to an emergency, according to Crew Center.

They later learned the emergency involved the captain himself.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Captain Michele Bartolomei, a beloved member of the Princess Cruises family whose career at sea spanned more than 30 years,” Princess Cruises said in a statement at the time.

The company also reassured passengers that “our commitment to your safety and the smooth operation of this voyage remains our utmost priority.”

While deaths at sea are rare compared with the millions of people who take cruises each year, cruise ships are equipped to handle medical emergencies and fatalities. According to The New York Times, many large cruise ships have onboard morgues, usually chilled stainless steel rooms on the lowest deck that can hold anywhere from two to 10 bodies.

Officials in Crete have not released the name of the 79-year-old British passenger. His cause of death remains under investigation.