Royal Caribbean cruise plunged into grief as 41-year-old passenger goes missing

In a somber turn of events just two days before Christmas, a rescue mission for a missing Royal Caribbean cruise ship passenger, who fell overboard into the Atlantic Ocean, has been suspended. The 41-year-old individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, was on the ‘Eight Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Holiday Cruise,’ destined for the Bahamas.

On the evening of 23rd December at 7:17 pm, the North Carolina Coast Guard received a distress call reporting the passenger’s overboard incident, approximately 100 miles off the coast of Charleston. Two search crews, including a C-130 airplane from Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and another from Clearwater, Florida, were dispatched promptly to conduct an extensive aerial search.

Petty Officer Vincent Moreno affirmed the Coast Guard’s commitment to the search, stating, “We’re just continuing to search. The Coast Guard never stops. The holidays don’t affect our hours.”

Fellow passengers on the cruise, including Colin Schappi and Jake Utzinger, shared accounts of the distressing moment when crew members raised the alarm. Schappi reported hearing crew members shouting, “Oscar! Oscar! Oscar! Starboard!” around 7:15 pm, while Utzinger revealed that the captain made an announcement at 7:45 pm, leaving passengers deeply affected by the tragic event.

Despite eight hours of extensive searching covering over 1,625 square miles, the US Coast Guard has regrettably called off the search for the missing passenger. The cruise ship, Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas, is now proceeding with its journey, set to make its next stop at Port Canaveral before returning to Baltimore on Saturday, 30th December.

With a capacity for 2,000 guests and 700 crew members, the 915-foot long and 105-foot wide ship is grappling with the emotional impact of the incident. A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean Group conveyed the immediate response of the ship and crew to the incident, emphasizing the launch of a search and rescue mission. Out of respect for the privacy of the guest and their family, no additional details have been disclosed.