MAIB Faults Arvia Lift Interlocks in Crew Death

An electrical technician died on October 26, 2025, after being crushed inside a passenger lift shaft aboard P&O Cruises' Arvia. The ship was about 75 nautical miles northwest of Cape Finisterre, Spain, on passage from Southampton to Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The technician was inspecting lift 14 after overnight repairs. He could not open the shaft doors at one deck. He entered the shaft from another. Both sets of doors then closed, restoring the safety circuit. A stored call sent the lift upward, and he was struck.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch published its final report in October 2026. It found that the maintenance system relied on door interlocks that reset themselves when the doors closed. The branch stated this did not provide an effective safety barrier. It also found that positive control of the lift was not established before the technician entered the shaft, and that the permit to work was not revised when the scope of the task changed.

The MAIB recommended Carnival UK review whether self-resetting lift door interlocks provide adequate protection during maintenance work.