Channel Islands Air SearchA woman has died after she went overboard from a cruise ship near the Channel Islands, say rescue services.
An alert was sent out at about 02:00 BST for a search for the woman in her 20s north of Les Casquets rocks, west of Alderney.
The French search and rescue service said the casualty from the MSC Virtuosa was winched from the sea by a helicopter crew and was later pronounced dead by doctors.
An investigation is under way into the death by UK and French police, the service said.
A plane from Channel Islands Air Search was sent to the scene from Guernsey, along with lifeboat crews from Alderney and France and the French helicopter crew based near Cherbourg.
The cruise ship is currently berthed at Southampton docks.
The owners of the ship have been approached for comment.
