The Coast Guard is searching for a missing crew member believed to have gone overboard an MSC cruise ship on Tuesday evening.
Officials are looking for a 30-year-old man of Indian nationality in waters north of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, the Coast Guard said in a Wednesday press release.
The missing MSC Seascape crew member was reportedly observed going overboard the ship from a height of about 32 feet above the water, according to the Coast Guard. The press release did not clarify if the man was seen by witnesses or security footage.
He was wearing a white shirt and red shorts when he went into the water, the press release said.
The Coast Guard said it received an initial notification of the overboard incident around 9 p.m. Tuesday as the Seascape was making its way from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
The Seascape ship reported throwing a lifeline and three life rings into the water, as well as launching a cruise ship rescue boat to search the nearby waters, according to the Coast Guard.
MSC Cruises did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
The Coast Guard diverted to the scene an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter and deployed a self-locating marker buoy that measures sea currents, as well as a full aircrew on site, according to the agency.
The Seascape eventually left the scene and continued on its voyage to the Dominican Republic, the Coast Guard said.
Cody Alcorn, a local journalist with Atlanta outlet 11Alive obtained video of the search efforts from Tuesday night taken from the Seascape. The footage appears to show a giant light shining into the water as crews search the dark ocean.
The incident is the second man-overboard event in less than 48 hours after a passenger on a Carnival cruise ship was caught on surveillance footage appearing to jump from the ship's deck early Monday morning, the cruise line said.
Tyler Barnett, 28, was first reported missing from the Carnival Glory on Monday morning just one day into a weeklong cruise to Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands and Cozumel, Mexico.
But Barnett's mother, Elisha Reid, told Business Insider on Wednesday that the family had seen the footage and believes it shows Barnett didn't jump, but slipped.
All cruise ships are required to have 42-inch guard rails and man-overboard imaging under the 2010 Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act. But many ships have yet to implement newer technology that automatically detects when a person goes overboard by using thermal cameras and radars that promptly alert crew members, Business Insider previously reported.
The time between someone going overboard and the cruise ship launching a search-and-rescue mission can often be the difference between life and death.
While the chances of falling overboard a cruise ship are extremely rare, at least 10 people have fallen off major cruise line ships in 2023 so far — and only two have survived their plunge into the ocean.
FAQs
Coast Guard suspends search for overboard MSC Seascape crewmember north of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Coast Guard suspended the search for an MSC Seascape cruise ship crewmember Wednesday night, who is believed to have fallen overboard in the Atlantic Ocean north of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.
Do cruise ships stop if you fall overboard? ›
As soon as an incident happens, cruise ship crew will activate a button that pinpoints the place where the person went into the water. The ship will then stop and turn back to that area. The ship and its crew will perform a lengthy search and rescue operation, lasting several hours.
How common is it to go overboard on a cruise ship? ›
Very , very rare however for someone to just accidentally fall off the ship . Roughly between 20 and 30 passengers and crew go overboard in a year out of the millions that go on a cruise.
Who was the man missing on the MSC cruise ship? ›
A 23-year-old tourist is presumed dead after falling from the MSC Euribia cruise ship in the North Sea, reports said. Liam Jones disappeared during a seven-day Northern Europe tour cruise from Southampton to Amsterdam with his family to celebrate his mother's birthday.
How does the Coast Guard find people lost at sea? ›
"We use an Initial SAR Checklist to gather as much information about the case as possible and focus our response," said Connett. "Knowing where the person was last seen, the time they were last seen and the gear that they have allows us to focus the search."
Who were the sailors killed in Puerto Rico? ›
When the chaos subsided, John Ball, a cryptologic technician petty officer first class, and Emil White, a Navy radioman petty officer third class, were dead. Ten others were wounded. The militant nationalist movement known as Los Macheteros claimed responsibility for the attack.
Can you fall off a balcony on a cruise? ›
No. Cruise ships have railings — usually about chest height on the average person — on all open deck areas and cabin balconies. They are placed intentionally to ensure passenger safety. The only way you risk a fall is if you're standing on furniture to peer over the side or climbing somewhere you're not supposed to.
Does a cruise ship have a jail? ›
There are no police officers on cruise ships, but most vessels have small jails known as the brig, and unruly passengers could find themselves locked up if the ship's security team determines that they have violated the cruise line's code of conduct.
How easy is it to fall overboard on a cruise ship? ›
Thanks to chest-high railings surrounding the passenger decks, it's very difficult to fall from a cruise ship – but people do.
What is the riskiest part of a cruise ship? ›
Key Takeaways. Certain areas of a cruise ship, including pool decks, dining rooms, and outer decks, can become particularly hazardous during rough seas, posing risks such as injuries from slips and falls.
Since 2015, sexual assault has been the most reported crime on cruise ships, with more than 450 cases reported between 2015 and 2022, Insider wrote.
How do cruise ships know if someone falls overboard? ›
Some cruise lines are adding overboard detection sensors which use thermal cameras and micro radars to detect incidents and alert crew members.
Which cruise ship passenger fell overboard texted his wife? ›
A British man who has gone missing from a cruise ship in Europe texted his wife just moments before falling overboard, she said. Liam Jones, 23, of Scotland, was on a weeklong Northern European cruise with his family aboard the MSC Euribia when he fell overboard on March 16, MSC Cruises told Metro.
Who was the cruise ship captain that abandoned the cruise ship? ›
Captain Francesco Schettino, the captain of the Costa Concordia, faced legal consequences for his actions following the shipwreck. In 2015, he was found guilty of multiple charges, including manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, and abandoning ship.
Why did Hamilton found the Coast Guard? ›
As the fledgling nation sought to combat smugglers seeking to avoid payment of import tariffs, Hamilton advised Congress to build a fleet of ten cutters to help direct ships to specific ports of entry along the East Coast of the United States.
Are there undercover cops on cruise ships? ›
Cruise lines don't have police onboard. Instead, they have security teams they employ. The captain has the ultimate authority in decision-making on the ship regarding what should happen to those suspected of criminal activity.
Who was the crew member of NCL killed in Honduras? ›
A 28 year old Filipino crew member Jaycob Caban , who was part of the crew of the Norwegian Cruise Line Pearl was killed Sunday afternoon in Roatan, Honduras. Jaycob was walking down a street in Coxen Hole when he was attacked by a man who robbed him of a cell phone and then shot him dead.
