A small child is receiving medical treatment in Madeira after a fall on a cruise ship. According to media reports, the two-year-old child fell around 10-13 feet as a TUI Cruises ship was docking on the Portuguese island in the Atlantic on Wednesday.
Two Year-Old Child Rushed to Hospital in Madeira
A ‘rapid intervention’ medical team was sent to the Mein Schiff 7 ship to assist. The child was then taken to the Dr Nelio Mendonca Hospital in Madeira’s capital, Funchal.
The only details shared so far is that the two-year-old in a “foreign national.” The circumstances that led to the fall and the child’s current condition have not been disclosed. An internal investigation is reportedly underway.
The Germany based cruise line seems to have dispelled initial reports of the severity of the child’s injuries. It had been reported the toddler was “fighting for life,” citing unnamed hospital sources who described the toddler’s injuries as “very serious.”
False Reporting on Two-Year Old Falls on Ship
“We can confirm an incident on Mein Schiff 7 in Madeira involving a child. However, the child was never in a critical condition, nor have life-threatening injuries. The child is in hospital for routine observation, and is in good condition and with family members,” TUI Cruises said.
Madeira port authority APRAM also acknowledged the fall, which happened within the ship while in port. Initial news reports the child may have fallen from a balcony have not been confirmed.
“The Regional Integrated Medical Emergency System was activated, with support and assessment carried out on site by the Rapid Intervention Medical Team,” it said.
The Mein Schiff 7, one of the line’s newer ships, docked early morning on April 22 during the week-long Canary Islands and Madeira roundtrip cruise from Grand Canaria. It departs later today and then calls at Santa Cruz de La Palma, Tenerife and Fuerteventura before returning to Gran Canaria on April 27.
The ship is carrying nearly 3,000 guests and more than 1,000 crew members. As of early 2026, TUI Cruises has eight ships and one under construction.
