The US Coast Guard is searching for a Carnival Cruise Lines crew member who fell overboard on New Year’s Day.
The accident happened on Carnival Sensation around 20 miles off the east coast of Florida as the ship returned from a four-day Bahamas cruise that departed Port Canaveral on Sunday, December 28.
The off-duty male employee, part of the ship’s entertainment crew, was seen falling overboard by six fellow staff at 12.40am on New Year’s day. The cruiseline said eye-witness accounts confirmed the fall was an accident.
A rescue operation swung into action immediately, and the US Coast Guard was contacted to take part in the search, which included a rescue helicopter. The search was continuing today.
The cruiseline said in a statement: “Our thoughts and prayers are with this young man at this time as well as his friends and family.”
The ship was released by the coast guard at 6am this morning and arrived back at its home port of Port Canaveral at 9.25am.