The Savona Prosecutor’s Office in Liguria, Italy, has opened a case of manslaughter against unknown persons as a result of the death of Paola Arata, a 68-year-old tourist from Rapallo, also on the Ligurian coast, who died on November 14th on cruise ship Costa Smeralda (IMO 9781889) when it was off the coast of Barcelona, Spain.
The body was taken to the port of Savona on board the ship, after which it was transferred to the morgue of the San Paolo hospital.
An autopsy will be carried out on November 22nd. On the instructions of public prosecutor Giovanni Battista Ferro, Polmare investigators boarded the ship and carried out some checks on the hygienic conditions on board the ship.
The woman had embarked on November 11th at the port of Savona for a cruise in the Western Mediterranean. It was reported that several cases of gastrointestinal virus had already been recorded on the ship, with safety measures put in place on board.
En route to Barcelona the woman felt some discomfort due to intestinal problems. A few hours later, while the ship was already sailing between Barcelona and Palma, the woman’s condition worsened. The on-board emergency service with the doctor then intervened in her cabin, but she died shortly after.
2019-built, Italy-flagged, 185,010 gt Costa Smeralda is owned by Costa Crociere SpA of Genoa, Italy. ISM manager is Carnival Maritime GmbH of Hamburg, Germany.