An Italian 15 year old died on Monday when he fell from a docked in the port of Barcelona, in northeastern Spain vessel, said on Tuesday a spokesman for the cruise company, the Italian Grimaldi Lines.

"In the early hours of Monday, a boy 15 years coming from the province of Catania (Italy) fell from the deck of the ship," he told AFP this spokesman.

The boy's body was found lifeless a few hours later by teams of divers from the Spanish Civil Guard and firefighters from the city, he added.

The relatives of the deceased have been informed and are in Barcelona, said.

The young man was part of a group of 300 students who were attending a literature festival called "Amare Leggere" which was held on the ship.

"The young men arrived on Sunday afternoon to Barcelona, were visiting the city and returned at about 1:00 a.m.. Then a group of them went up on the ship's deck and was occurred when" the accident, said the spokesman.

"The circumstances of death are not yet clear," he said.