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Topics: Cruise ship, Royal Caribbean, Travel, US News, World News
Poppy Bilderbeck
Topics: Cruise ship, Royal Caribbean, Travel, US News, World News
The US Coast Guard has suspended the search for a 20-year-old passenger who 'jumped' overboard on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
On Thursday (4 April) at around 4:00am, a 20-year-old man went overboard on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas while the vessel was between Cuba and the Bahamas' Grand Inagua Island.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson confirmed the news to UNILAD in a statement shared on 5 April, explaining the ship's crew 'immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the U.S. Coast Guard' who went on to take over the search.
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The United States Coast Guard (USCG) Southeast division took to X on 4 April to announce the launch of the search and rescue mission.
The post read: "#Breaking @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. USCG Cutter Seneca and Air Station Miami HC-144 crews are conducting the search."
Fellow passengers onboard the cruise came forward to The Post with their recollections of what happened.
Bryan Sim claimed he was in the hot tub with the 20-year-old man and his brother 'until 3:30am' and it was on the way back when he 'jumped out the window' after allegedly bumping into his dad who was 'fussing at him for being drunk'.
However, there has been no official comment either from authorities, the man's family nor the cruise regarding any details of the incident.
The search for the young man by the US Coast Guard has since been 'suspended', a spokesperson for the US Coast Guard 7th District Public Affairs Team confirmed to UNILAD.
The spokesperson said: "The Coast Guard has suspended its search for the 20-year-old pending the development of new information."
The news was first reported by the Mail Online which said as of yesterday (9 April) the search had been called off.
The search had been being aided by both members of the cruise and passengers alike, one cruiser Amy Phelps Fouse saying 'many people came out of their cabins' the morning of the incident 'to stare at the sea hoping to be able to aid in finding' the man.
She added: "Royal Caribbean has been excellent at communicating updates throughout the day. They have asked that people act with compassion in light of the tragic situation."
UNILAD has contacted Royal Caribbean and the US Coast Guard for comment.
The cruise line's spokesperson previously added to UNILAD: "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."