The Bahamas Maritime Authority is leading the marine-safety investigation into the death of a passenger reported overboard from Ambassador Cruise Line's Ambition near Scotland.
The authority has confirmed that it is aware of the incident and is communicating with the relevant organisations and authorities.
The development establishes which maritime administration will examine the circumstances after a body was recovered during a major search of the North Sea on 21 August 2026.
Bahamas investigating as Ambition's flag state
Ambition is registered in the Bahamas. As the vessel's flag state, the Bahamas has responsibility for investigating marine casualties involving the ship wherever they occur.
The Bahamas Maritime Authority said its thoughts were with the passenger's family and loved ones. It added that it would provide any assistance required but would not comment further while enquiries remained under way.
The authority's investigations department examines casualties involving Bahamas-registered vessels worldwide. Its stated purpose is to identify causal and contributory factors, determine lessons and make safety recommendations where appropriate.
A marine-safety investigation is intended to establish what happened and help prevent similar incidents. It is separate from determining criminal or civil liability.
Body recovered during North Sea search
The investigation follows Deck7's earlier report that a body had been recovered after a man was reported overboard from Ambition.
Police Scotland said it received the report at approximately 8.55am on Friday, 21 August, while the ship was travelling from Lerwick to Dundee. The reported position was around 40 nautical miles from Anstruther in Fife.
HM Coastguard said it was alerted at approximately 8.35am and placed the reported position around 36 nautical miles east of Arbroath in Angus. The descriptions used different reference points on the Scottish coast but concerned the same incident.
A search and rescue helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft, a commercial rescue helicopter and nearby vessels were involved in the operation. Police Scotland later confirmed that a body had been recovered and that the missing man's family had been informed.
Police found no suspicious circumstances
Police Scotland said the death was not being treated as suspicious. That assessment does not remove the need for a maritime investigation into the circumstances surrounding the passenger's reported entry into the water and the subsequent response.
At the time of the previous police statement, formal identification had not been completed. The passenger's identity has not been released publicly.
Ambassador Cruise Line said it had followed established search and rescue procedures and cooperated with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, HM Coastguard and Police Scotland.
Ambition had returned from eclipse voyage
Ambition had been returning to Dundee after a 13-night solar-eclipse cruise visiting the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Shetland.
Passengers were temporarily asked to remain aboard after the ship berthed in Dundee while a ship-wide search was completed. They were subsequently cleared to disembark, although the turnaround operation was slightly delayed.
The Bahamas Maritime Authority has not indicated how long its investigation may take. Marine-casualty enquiries can involve examination of vessel records, electronic data, procedures, witness accounts and information supplied by the ship operator and other authorities.
No conclusion about the cause of the incident has been announced. Deck7 will report any findings or safety recommendations published by the authority.