A tragic accident was reported on Thursday, during a shore excursion in northwestern Spain when a cruise passenger was swept into the sea by powerful waves. The woman separated from her tour group and was taking photographs near the shoreline when she was struck by a wave and dragged into the water. Despite a rapid emergency response, she was later found deceased.
The incident took place in the coastal town of Baiona, near Vigo, where the cruise ship was docked earlier that day. Spanish media reported that the victim was an 85-year-old German woman who had arrived in Vigo aboard the cruise ship AIDAmar. She was part of a shore excursion group of approximately 50 passengers traveling by bus to Baiona.
According to witness accounts, the woman was alone at Concheira beach and was taking photos on rocks near the water when the accident occurred around 2:30 p.m. A local resident observed her lose balance as she bent down and then disappear after being hit by a wave. The witness immediately alerted lifeguards and emergency services.
A video shared on social media appears to show the moment the German tourist was swept away by a wave.
Emergency response units were quickly deployed, including Maritime Rescue, the Galician Coast Guard, Civil Guard vessels, local police, underwater rescue teams, and a rescue helicopter. Despite an extensive search operation involving boats and aerial support, rescuers later located the woman’s lifeless body, which had washed ashore nearby due to the strong surf. Medical teams were unable to revive her.
The rest of the excursion group only became aware that the woman was missing when passengers were already seated on the bus preparing to return to the cruise ship in Vigo. By that time, the search and rescue operation was already underway.
The accident occurred amid severe weather conditions affecting the Galician coast. Spain’s State Meteorological Agency had issued an orange weather warning for the region, citing strong south to southwest winds of 50 to 74 kilometers per hour (force 7–8) and wave heights of up to 6–7 meters. Authorities believe the dangerous sea conditions were underestimated, contributing to the fatal outcome.
