The body of a young woman aged between 25 and 30 was found near the island of Ponza on Friday afternoon.

Two people who were sailing some two and a half miles from Cap della Guardia, noticed the floating body and informed the Italian authorities.

The woman’s body was found to be in an advanced state of decomposition. The woman wore a long evening dress.

Although an autopsy still has to be held, Italian police think this is the same person who was reported missing on the night between Monday and Tuesday by the cruise liner Voyager of the Sea.

The name of the missing girl is Elizabeth Kay Galiano, who, together with her parents, Frank and Jerry, had embarked at Civitavecchia on their way to Malta.

The girl is the daughter of wealthy parents of Italian origin who live in Michigan. Elizabeth was on holiday in Italy, visiting friends.

According to her niece, she was last seen coming out of her luxury suite at around 2am on Tuesday. Perhaps an excessive amount of alcohol or an accident caused her to fall off the ship.

The ship was then some 40kms off Ponza and Friday’s discovery of a body would seem to strengthen the hypothesis the girl in the sea is indeed Elizabeth Kay Galiano.