MSC Cruises crew member rescued a woman after she went overboard from the cruise ship MSC Seaview while the vessel was docked at the port of Genoa, Italy. The incident happen on Monday, June 17, 2019, at around 10 pm when a 43-year-old Irish woman jumped from one of the decks into the sea after a fight with her husband. 

According to the Italian media, the passenger was drinking and after an argument, with her husband, she decided to make a striking gesture by jumping from the ship from a height of around 20 meters, or 65 feet. The initial reports say that the woman jumped from Deck 7 while the cruise ship was Genoa. Fortunately, a sailor onboard MSC Seaview saw the woman jumping and first responded to MOB before the arrival of the harbor master's officers and rescue personnel. The woman was transported to the Galliera hospital in the Ligurian capital where the doctors treated her and say that she is in stable condition. The ship has already departed Genoa last night with a limited departure delay after the Italian police Carabinieri has launched an investigation of the incident.

Today onboard MSC Seaview a small ceremony will be organized by the ship’s crew in recognition of the sailor from Samoa Islands, who with extreme courage dived into the sea and save the woman. Kudos to the brave crew member.

Update: After publishing this story several crew members have contacted Crew Center saying that the MSC Seaview crew member who rescued the woman is Tala Vailolo, a 21-year-old sailor from Fagamalo, Samoa. This is Vailolo's first contract ever on a large cruise ship.

MSC Cruise released a statement saying "MSC Cruises wishes to commend the crew member and shipboard teams that were involved in the salvage action and who acted in the quickest and most effective way, securing the safety of the concerned passenger. Also, we wish to thank the Coast Guard and local law enforcement for their support."

We connected Vailolo and ask him what exactly happen. He says “I’m maneuvering at the aft mooring station, after finish maneuvers, I and my fellow co-worker placed the rat guards or rats cover one by one on ropes every day, also the night time to pick up and bring it back on the ship.

The ship was overnight in Genoa port. We standby at 9:00 pm in the evening, about 9:21 pm I was outside to pick up the rats cards. I was about to go back to the ship then I’ve heard the sound splash on the sea from the other side of the ship. I ran quickly to see it then I saw a woman just floating in the sea, I thought she's dead. I start to swim quickly at her because there’s only me on the shore no one's there. I hold her to my other arm and use the other arm to swim at the shore. All give thanks to our heavenly father for being there for us.”