An elderly individual was believed to have intentionally gone overboard from a cruise ship and is now presumed deceased, following the recent death of a woman from the same vessel.
The incident occurred aboard the Carnival Splendor cruise ship off the coast of Brisbane, Australia yesterday morning. Despite the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) conducting a search and rescue operation, the man was not found.
The ship’s PA system issued a ‘man overboard’ alert at 1.44 am, with tracking data indicating a change in the vessel’s course around 1.55 am. Family members of the man reported him missing to the ship’s crew.
According to Carnival, CCTV footage revealed the man climbing over a safety railing and jumping into the water. The search and rescue effort lasted approximately 16 hours before being halted at 5.30 pm.
An AMSA spokesperson stated that despite an extensive air and sea search involving multiple resources, the missing person could not be located, leading to the release of all search assets.
The Carnival Splendor was en route from Moreton Island to Sydney when the incident occurred. Carnival Cruise has informed the appropriate authorities and pledged cooperation in the investigation upon the ship’s return to Sydney. The Carnival Care Team is providing support to the family of the missing individual.
This tragic event follows the drowning death of another passenger from the same ship during a snorkelling excursion. The 67-year-old woman from Tasmania was found unresponsive in the water on Friday morning.
The Carnival Splendor, with a capacity for 3000 passengers and 1150 crew members, spans 952 feet and operates in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific region.