MSC Cruises said the deceased was travelling with a friend.
What was meant to be an enjoyable time away on a cruise ship sailing to the Portuguese Island in Mozambique for one of the thousands of guests onboard took the worst turn as they suffered a heart attack.
Speaking to The Citizen on Tuesday, MSC Cruises confirmed the death of one of its guests.
“The guest, whose personal details cannot be disclosed in order to respect the privacy of the family, was travelling with their friend and passed away from an apparent heart attack,” MSC told The Citizen on Tuesday.
“MSC Cruises sends its heartfelt condolences to the family and is providing all the necessary assistance and support needed at this time.
The onboard demise happened while sailing from Durban to Portuguese Island, Mozambique, on 17 January 2025. The cruise was heading to the island when the passenger lost his life.
Speaking to some of the other board guests on the cruise, they said they witnessed the deceased being flown out by helicopter soon after the said heart attack.
“The person was covered with a blanket and a helicopter came and took them away,” averred a guest who did not want to be named.
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The cruise
Though the fun-filled four-night adventure from Durban to Pomene in neighbouring Mozambique attracts different nationalities and diverse age groups, MSC Cruises couldn’t confirm the deceased’s age, gender and nationality.
The guest’s passing didn’t seem to dampen the spirits of most onboard patrons who enjoyed themselves throughout the four-night cruise.
After arriving in Mozambique on Saturday morning, guests go to experience the Portuguese island. Set between the African coast and the Indian Ocean, Portuguese Island is a small, uninhabited island: one of the enchanting destinations of an MSC cruise to Southern Africa.
It is located at the external limit of Maputo Bay, host to the capital of Mozambique under the cover of Inhaca Island, and the chosen location for some of the most luxurious resorts of the entire continent.
Guests got to experience this six-kilometre-long island under beautiful weather this past weekend where they embarked on Friday afternoon and returned to Durban on Monday morning.
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