A tourist has reportedly plunged from a TUI-operated cruise ship north of the Canary Islands. Spanish coastguards and police are said to have been mobilised after the adults-only Marella Explorer 2 sounded a ‘Man Overboard’ alert.

News website Voz Populi reported the alarm was sounded yesterday morning as the 14-deck vessel headed to the Canaries from Madeira and said the ship’s captain slowed it to a near-stop before activating ‘protocol procedures’ which included reviewing cameras, launching marker buoys and conducting circular search manoeuvres. Tenerife daily El Dia said the incident happened when the cruise liner was around 16 nautical miles from Punta de Teno on the island’s most northwestern point.

Spanish coastguards, who have yet to make any official comment, are said to have mobilised two of their specialist rescue vessels including the Tenerife-based Salvamar Menkalinan as part of a sea search supported from the air by an emergency helicopter.

Local reports said a German-flagged yacht had also answered the SOS call.

Voz Populi said late yesterday, described the missing person as a tourist: “There is no record at this time that the passenger has been located.

“The operation remains open and the authorities have not yet provided the identity, nationality or circumstances of the fall, which is customary in initial investigations of incidents on cruise ships.”

The ship’s current position is showing up as the Tenerife capital Santa Cruz, where it arrived around 2.30am this morning.