British tourist mysteriously found dead on cruise ship docked at Mediterranean tourist hotspot

A British tourist has mysteriously been found dead on a cruise ship docked at a Mediterranean tourist hotspot.

The 79-year-old man, who has not been named, was found unconscious on the ship as it docked in Chania, on the island of Crete in Greece.

The man was first transferred to the ship's hospital.

He was later transferred to a private hospital in Chania, where he was pronounced dead.

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The Chania Port Authority is now conducting a preliminary investigation and has ordered an autopsy.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Greece and are in contact with the local authorities."

On Friday, a teenager in Greece died after falling from a hotel balcony in Athens.

The 17-year-old's family mourned the boy through a statement released by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

His parents said it was "not possible to put into words the shock and heartbreak we feel from the sudden loss of our beloved child".

"He was a deeply loved son, an exceptional guitarist and a friend to so many. Full of laughter, he was someone who brought joy wherever he went. He will be missed beyond words," his parents added.

Another British passenger died on a vessel docked in Greece last year.

The 67-year-old man arrived in Corfu while on a cruise ship flying a Maltese flag.

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In a statement, the Corfu Port Authority said it was investigating the incident and the passenger's body transferred to the hospital for an autopsy.

It said: "In the morning hours today, the Corfu Port Authority was informed of the death of a 67-year-old foreign passenger (British citizen) on a cruise flying the Maltese flag in the port of Corfu.

"The body was transferred to the Corfu General Hospital for an autopsy."

Greece hosts more than 8.4 million passengers and over 6,100 ship calls every year.

In 2025, the country implemented a cruise tourism cap of 8,000 cruise passengers for the island of Santorini.

A tourism levy of €20 per person has also been implemented during peak tourism season.

Approximately 200 passengers die on cruises each year, or about one in 150,000 guests.

The vast majority of deaths at sea are from natural causes.

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