A celebratory family cruise aboard the MSC Euribia abruptly turned into a distressing mystery on March 16 when 23-year-old Scottish social work student, Liam Jones, reportedly fell overboard, as seen on CCTV, and disappeared.
The cruise, which set sail from Southampton, England, was planned as a week-long voyage across Europe including stops in Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. However, it ended in heartbreak for the Jones family.
According to his sister, the last confirmed sighting of Jones on the ship was after he texted his wife, Sophia Mcphee, who was not on the cruise, complaining of seasickness. This was the last known contact with Jones, leaving his family trying to piece together what happened. “I feel so lost. He’s just … gone,” Mcphee, 20, told the Daily Record, expressing the deep grief of losing her husband. “I’m never going to see him again. I’m devastated.”
The couple bid their final in-person goodbye on March 14 when Jones left Dundee to travel to Glasgow to join his family for the cruise. Left with a painful void, Mcphee shared her dissatisfaction with the response of MSC Cruises, the company operating the Euribia, from whom she sought information about her husband’s disappearance but received no reply.
An MSC Cruises representative confirmed that a passenger had indeed fallen overboard on March 16 while the ship was on its way to Hamburg. The incident was immediately reported to the relevant authorities. Southampton police, working on behalf of the coroner, conducted an investigation on the ship to gather facts about Jones’ disappearance. “We are deeply saddened by this news and our thoughts are with the family at this very difficult time,” the spokesperson stated, acknowledging the severity of the situation.
The MSC Euribia, a ship with a capacity for over 6,327 passengers and measuring more than 1,092 feet long, became the object of a complicated investigation involving several jurisdictions. Hampshire Constabulary took over the investigation upon the ship’s return to the UK. The incident raised questions about the safety record of the cruise line, given the infrequent yet significant incidents of passengers falling overboard.
Jones’ sister, Paula Devlin, memorialized her brother as “the purest soul and best friend a sister could ask for,” underlining the deep personal loss felt by those close to Jones. Despite the ongoing official investigation, these words serve as a touching reminder of the human element in this tragic event.
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, along with French authorities due to the incident’s location in French waters, continue to investigate. The situation’s complexity is magnified by the involvement of multiple jurisdictions and the difficult nature of maritime investigations.
While the investigation proceeds, the Jones family, backed by the wider community, find themselves in a limbo of sorrow and uncertainty. The lack of concrete information and the slow progress of official investigations have only heightened their distress. Their struggle underscores the unpredictable nature of life and the significant impact of sudden loss.
The MSC Euribia continues to operate, with the cruise line maintaining a respectful stance towards the family’s privacy and refraining from further public comments. The starting price for the Northern Europe tour, as listed on the company’s website, is $950 per person. However, for Sophia Mcphee and the Jones family, the real cost of this journey has been far greater.
