Son of Woman Who Fell From Cruise Ship Said She Has Died Although Search is Still Ongoing

Efforts to locate a 64-year-old woman who tragically fell from the Spectrum of the Seas cruise ship into the Singapore Strait on Monday are still underway, according to a statement by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) released on Tuesday.

The incident has deeply affected the family, and in a poignant revelation on Instagram, one of her sons has come to terms with the fact that she may not be found alive.

 

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A post shared by Vivek Sahani (@viveksahani)

The son, Mr Vivek Sahani, in his post shared that the family had been shown closed-circuit television footage from the cruise ship, where both his mother and father were passengers. He added that with”the footage we have unfortunately learnt that my mother has passed away. Would request you guys to give us some privacy as we mourn her loss.”

Mr Vivek is the the co-founder of the famed Goila Butter Chicken restaurant chain, which boasts multiple outlets in India and a presence in London.

Search Operations Still Ongoing

The search operations are still ongoing.

MPA further reported that the Singapore Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) has been actively coordinating search operations in tandem with Indonesia’s search and rescue agency. The latter has committed to the cause by deploying three dedicated craft.

Moreover, MRCC Singapore is issuing continuous navigational safety broadcasts, urging vessels in the Singapore Strait to remain vigilant and keep an eye out for any signs of the missing passenger.

In response to media enquiries, the High Commission of India in Singapore confirmed its active involvement in the situation. “We have been in touch with Madam Reeta’s family since the incident came to light,” it commented.

Via Twitter, the commission elaborated, “We are also in close contact with Singaporean authorities to address related issues and are facilitating legal procedures.”

The High Commission of India is in constant touch with the Sahani family since the news of the unfortunate incident reached us. We are also in close contact with Singaporean authorities to address related issues and are facilitating legal procedures. (1/2)

— India in Singapore (@IndiainSingapor) August 1, 2023

The High Commission has reached out to the India head of the Royal Caribbean cruise company, showing their readiness to cooperate in any possible way, underscoring their commitment to supporting the Sahani family during this distressing time.

What Happened in the Spectrum of the Seas

Madam Reeta and her husband, Mr Jakesh Sahani, 70, were enjoying a four-day voyage on Spectrum of the Seas.

Tragically, as the ship was returning to Singapore from Penang on Monday morning, Mr Jakesh awoke to discover his wife was not in their room. The couple’s second son, Mr Apoorv Sahani, 39, expressed his concerns, mentioning his mother’s inability to swim and pointing out that the cruise company hadn’t initially allowed the family to review the crucial CCTV footage.

Highlighting the urgency of the situation, MPA had immediately sprung into action upon learning about the incident around 7:50 am on Monday. The ship was held in Singapore to aid the investigations but received clearance to continue its voyage by 4:30 pm.

It is now headed towards Vietnam.