Miami, Florida, crews are searching for a 20-year-old man who jumped off a cruise ship as his family watched in horror.
“@USCG crews are searching for a 20-year-old man who went overboard from the Liberty of the Seas cruise ship 57 miles from Great Inagua this morning,” the U.S. Coast Guard wrote on X on April 4.
“USCG Cutter Seneca and Air Station Miami HC-144 crews are conducting the search,” the USCG says.
“There was a lot of yelling, and the crew was alerted immediately,” a passenger, Deborah Morrison, told The New York Post.
“His family was horrified. Just beside themselves. I can’t even begin to imagine what they’re going through.”
Here’s what you need to know:
The Unidentified Man Jumped Off the Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas Deck, Reports Say
GettyThe Royal Caribbean’s cruise ship, Freedom of the Seas, docks at PortMiami on May 06, 2022 in Miami, Florida.
According to The New York Post, the man jumped off the Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas shortly after 4 a.m. Thursday, April 4.
“The 18-story ship was sailing between Cuba and the Bahamas’ Grand Inagua Island,” The Post reported, adding that the man, who has not been named, “jumped off one of the decks.”
The Post reported that the man’s father and brother witnessed him jump. “It appeared to be an impulsive, spur-of-the-moment decision,” the Post reported, citing on-lookers.
The cruise ship’s website says it set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “Liberty Of The Seas current location is at North West Atlantic Ocean (coordinates 26.08631 N / -80.11664 W) cruising en route to FORT LAUDERDALE. The AIS position was reported 2 minutes ago,” the website said on April 5.
“Liberty Of The Seas current cruise is 4 days, round-trip Eastern Caribbean Cruise. Prices start from USD 595 (double occupancy rates). The itinerary starts on 01 Apr, 2024 and ends on 05 Apr, 2024,” it explained.
Daily Mail reported that the cruise ship was “traveling between Cuba and the Bahamas’ Grand Inagua Island” when the tragedy occurred.
Royal Caribbean told Daily Mail, “The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the U.S. Coast Guard, who has taken over the search. Our Care Team is providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share.”
Another Passenger Described the Man as ‘Pretty Drunk,” Reports Say
GettyThe Royal Caribbean’s cruise ship, Freedom of the Seas, docks at PortMiami on May 06, 2022 in Miami, Florida.
A passenger told The Post that he witnessed the man’s last moments. “I had hung out with him and his brother in the hot tub until 3:30,” passenger Bryan Sims told The Post. “It was standing room only. He sat right beside me the whole time. He was pretty drunk.”
Sims continued to The Post: “As we were walking from the hot tub back to the elevators, his dad and brother were walking towards us. His dad was fussing at him for being drunk, I guess.”
“When we got to them, he said to his dad, ‘I’ll fix this right now.’ And he jumped out the window in front of us all,” he added.
