Passenger missing after going overboard on Carnival cruise ship
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- A passenger on a Carnival cruise ship on its way back to California went overboard, prompting a lockdown in which passengers were told to return to their rooms.
The cruise was on its seventh and final day before returning to Long Beach when it was discovered the passenger was missing. A crew member delivered the shocking announcement.
"The team has completed the review of our man overboard cameras. Sadly, we've even able to confirm that the guest has gone overboard. Local authorities will continue the search and rescue."
The incident stunned passengers. They were ordered to go to their rooms as teams searched for the missing man. The lockdown lasted for about an hour before the crew confirmed the man had gone overboard.
"I've done a lot of cruises here and never had anything like this done before. We just did what they told us to do and they were walking around saying 'OK everyone back to your rooms,'" cruise passenger Michael Bedwell told Eyewitness News. "We didn't really know what was going on. They just kept saying they are looking for a person and now we know he jumped overboard I guess."
The victim's family and friends have been notified.
The ship had departed from Long Beach on a 7-night trip. The cruise sailed to several coastal communities in Mexico before returning back to Southern California.
A Carnival Cruise Line spokesperson released the following statement early Sunday morning:
"Carnival Cruise Line confirmed Saturday that a male guest aboard Carnival Panorama jumped overboard while the ship was sailing from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Long Beach, California. When notified of a missing guest, the ship's team initiated search and investigation procedures, including reviewing CCTV footage and notifying both the U.S. and Mexico Coast Guards. Carnival is providing support to the family who was traveling with the guest, and our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones."
It wasn't clear why the man went overboard.
