Search efforts to recover a 66-year-old woman who went overboard on a Taylor Swift-themed cruise halted nearly a day after they started.
On Tuesday at 9:30 p.m., an elderly female passenger fell into the water from the Royal Caribbean-owned Allure of the Seas, which was 17 miles north of Nassau in the Bahamas.
Crew members immediately began search and rescue efforts, assisted by rescue boats and assets from the US Coast Guard (USCG) and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF).
These included an HC-144 aircraft and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter. The cruise line’s Utopia of the Seas also helped survey the area.
However, as of Wednesday, authorities announced they had suspended their search. In a recent update shared on X, Coast Guard Liaison Officer Lt. Connor Pascale said, “We were informed by the RBDF this afternoon that they are suspending the active search efforts pending further developments and were no longer requesting further USCG assistance.”
Allure of the Seas was en route to Royal Caribbean’s private resort Perfect Day at CocoCay when the man overboard incident happened.
After aiding rescue efforts and coordinating with authorities for a few hours, the vessel was given clearance to continue with its October 21 to 25 itinerary to The Bahamas. It will return to PortMiami on Friday.
The woman’s identity has not been revealed to protect her family’s privacy. A cruise line representative told Cruise Radio “Our crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort and is working with local authorities. We are also providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this difficult time. To respect the privacy of our guest’s family, we have no additional details to share.”
The man overboard incident on October 22 marks the 15th time someone has fallen from a cruise ship in 2024.
Last week, another fatal overboard occurred on an MSC cruise ship.
