The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has found that ineffective task planning and communication, and the absence of positive control of the lift, led to the death of a crew member aboard P&O Cruises' Arvia.
The electrical technician was fatally crushed while inspecting passenger lift 14 at about 05:52 on October 26, 2025.
The 344.5-metre Bermuda-registered ship was then 75 nautical miles north-west of Cape Finisterre, Spain, on passage from Southampton to Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
The inspection followed overnight repairs, after which the lift was returned to normal operation. Unable to open the deck 12 landing doors, the technician entered the shaft from deck 14. The lift then moved in response to a stored call signal.
The MAIB said the permit to work did not reflect that the task had gone beyond the work it authorised. It also found inconsistencies in lift-maintenance training and in how competence was verified.
"The system of work for lift maintenance relied on the use of door interlocks to prevent movement when accessing the lift car top," the report stated.
"This did not provide an effective safety barrier as the interlocks were self-resetting when the doors closed, placing the crew at risk."
The MAIB has urged Carnival UK to assess whether self-resetting lift interlocks provide protection during maintenance.