MSC Musica Rescues Eight Men From Small Boat Near Ibiza
First mate Roberto de Girolamo led the lifeboat operation, and Salvamento Marítimo and the Guardia Civil in Sant Josep were alerted before the handover.
Updated September 15, 2026
MSC Musica helped rescue eight men from a small single-outboard boat about 16 miles east of Ibiza on Friday, July 31, 2026, after Spanish authorities asked the cruise ship to assist. The ship sent a tender to provide medical care and support, and the occupants transferred directly from the tender to a Spanish coast guard vessel.
MSC Musica was approaching Ibiza after departing Valencia on July 30 during a seven-night Western Mediterranean sailing from Civitavecchia, Italy. The ship continued to Ibiza with minimal impact to its schedule and returned to Civitavecchia on schedule on Monday, August 3.
Rescue operation east of Ibiza
The small boat was sighted shortly before 11:30 a.m., according to Il Dispari, which reported that the eight men originated from North Africa. MSC Cruises did not specify the vessel type, number of occupants or their identities in its statement.
Video from the scene showed the boat moving in the water without visible power, with no mast or other apparent means of propulsion. Roberto de Girolamo, MSC Musica's 27-year-old first mate, led the tender operation.
"The ship dispatched a tender boat to the vessel to provide the occupants with medical care and support," MSC Cruises said in an emailed statement. "The individuals were transferred directly from the ship's tender to the care of a Spanish coast guard vessel."
Salvamento Marítimo and the Guardia Civil in Sant Josep had been alerted during the response. Authorities did not release details about the occupants' condition.
MSC Musica had departed Civitavecchia on Monday, July 27, for a roundtrip cruise calling in Italy, France and Spain, with Ibiza scheduled as the next-to-last port. The 2006-built, 92,409-gross-ton ship carries 2,550 passengers at double occupancy, with a maximum capacity listed at 3,223 passengers, and has 1,014 crew.
The duty to assist at sea
Cruise ships are subject to the same international duty to assist as other vessels at sea. Under SOLAS Chapter V, Regulation 33, a master who receives information that people are in distress must proceed "with all speed" when the ship is able to provide assistance.
The rule applies regardless of the nationality or status of the people in distress. If a master cannot proceed, or considers assistance unreasonable or unnecessary in the circumstances, the reason must be entered in the ship's log and the appropriate search-and-rescue service informed.
Other cruise ships have assisted people in distress in the Mediterranean. In October 2025, Norwegian Epic altered course to rescue 67 migrants near Greece. That same month, MSC Splendida rescued 19 migrants in rough seas off Mallorca.
