Coast Guard Searching for Overboard Carnival Employee

(CNN) -- The Coast Guard is searching for a cruise ship employee who reportedly fell overboard early Thursday off Florida's east coast, a Coast Guard spokesman told CNN.

The man worked aboard the Carnival Sensation about 20 miles from Vero Beach, said Petty Officer 2nd Class James Harless.

Friends who were with the employee at the time saw him go overboard and threw him a life ring, Harless said.

It was unclear if the employee was on duty at the time, he said.

The Coast Guard was notified shortly before 1 a.m. ET and immediately began searching for the man with an airplane, a rescue helicopter, a Coast Guard cutter, and a small boat dispatched from nearby Fort Pierce, he said.

The Carnival Sensation -- which sails twice weekly to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, Florida -- was scheduled to dock Thursday morning in Port Canaveral, but its schedule is now unclear, Harless said.

Carnival Cruise Lines could not be reached for comment.

Hope they find him/her ok.

CARNIVAL SENSATION STATEMENT

Jan. 1, 2009

Earlier this morning, at approximately 12:40 a.m., while the cruise ship Carnival Sensation was sailing off the coast of Vero Beach, Fla., an off-duty male crew member who was a member of the entertainment staff was seen falling overboard by six fellow crew members.The eyewitness accounts indicate that this was clearly an accidental overboard.

Those crewmembers immediately notified the ships command which immediately began search and rescue activities and contacted all appropriate authorities, including the U.S. Coast Guard.

The ship was released by the U.S. Coast Guard at approximately 6 a.m. and arrived at its homeport of Port Canaveral, Fla., at approximately 9:25 a.m. The U.S. Coast Guard continues to conduct search and rescue operations.

Our thoughts and prayers are with this young man at this time as well as with his friends and family.

The Carnival Sensation was returning from a four-day Bahamas cruise that departed Port Canaveral on Sunday, Dec. 28.

(CNN) -- The Coast Guard is searching for a cruise ship employee who reportedly fell overboard early Thursday off Florida's east coast, a Coast Guard spokesman told CNN.

The man worked aboard the Carnival Sensation about 20 miles from Vero Beach, said Petty Officer 2nd Class James Harless.

Friends who were with the employee at the time saw him go overboard and threw him a life ring, Harless said.

It was unclear if the employee was on duty at the time, he said.

The Coast Guard was notified shortly before 1 a.m. ET and immediately began searching for the man with an airplane, a rescue helicopter, a Coast Guard cutter, and a small boat dispatched from nearby Fort Pierce, he said.

The Carnival Sensation -- which sails twice weekly to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, Florida -- was scheduled to dock Thursday morning in Port Canaveral, but its schedule is now unclear, Harless said.

Carnival Cruise Lines could not be reached for comment.

 

 

Hope they find him/her ok.

I still don't see how someone goes "accidentally overboard".

Me either.

I still don't see how someone goes "accidentally overboard".

If you mix liquor, a moving vessel, slippery deck or railing and horseplay. Anything is possible.

How sad, I hope they find him.

I can't imagine they toss in many life preserver rings---it seems to be rare that anyone is SEEN going overboard at the time they do it. So why not equip them with GPS/satellite/beacon/some kind of "hey, find me, stupid" technology? Just wondering if that was even possible to do---maybe they have that already, and it's not working?

I am just home from this cruise. We were a very subdued group coming in.

There was no significant "horseplay" apparent. We had just finished ringing in the new year and were in our cabin starting to pack when the "Bravo Brovo port side" came over the intercom. We had just said what a wonderful trip we had and how we were looking forward to positive new year.

We watched the searchlights as we circled waiting for the Coast Guard. We watched as the Coast Guard helicoptors searched the area where the captain had the beacon in the water where the crew member went over and the surrounding area. The seas were very rough, and the night was extremely windy. We were so hoping that this crew member would be found, but the seas were difficult.

Our prayers are with him still, we had hope daylight would help the search.

If you mix liquor, a moving vessel, slippery deck or railing and horseplay. Anything is possible.

I will agree to that. I just can't imagine in normal circumstances, people going over.

If you mix liquor, a moving vessel, slippery deck or railing and horseplay. Anything is possible.

A slippery deck or rail will land you on you rear not overboard unless you climb on the rail and slip.

Bassically you are correct, liquor, horseplay, suicide and murder are causes. Cannot accidently fall over a railing 4 or 5 foot high railing.

My Goodness-what is going on with all these folks Overboard lately? I so hope they find this young man ALIVE!!

A slippery deck or rail will land you on you rear not overboard unless you climb on the rail and slip.

Or it could cause you to lose balance and depending on how tall you are, you could end up in a precarious position. All railings arent 5'.

very sad. I hope they find him.

I can't imagine they toss in many life preserver rings---it seems to be rare that anyone is SEEN going overboard at the time they do it. So why not equip them with GPS/satellite/beacon/some kind of "hey, find me, stupid" technology? Just wondering if that was even possible to do---maybe they have that already, and it's not working?

There called epirbs and there all over the decks near the life rings. Your suppose to throw them overboard if someone goes in. There suppose to keep track of the currents so they know where to look. I saw them at the railing on our last cruise. I guess most people don't know what they are.

http://www.defender.com/category.jsp?path=-1|344|302025&id=320618&gclid=CM7TnpSU7pcCFQpuGgodkW4RCg

If you mix liquor, a moving vessel, slippery deck or railing and horseplay. Anything is possible.

I hope for the best outcome but I must also agree with the above statement.

If you mix liquor, a moving vessel, slippery deck or railing and horseplay. Anything is possible.

I agree a friend works for RCL and another use to work for Carnival.....It is generally a big party for the crew especially last night New Years celebrations...

So sad for the friends and family

omg.. our thoughts are with the family, crew, captain and the young man. I can't imagine such a thing. :( :eek:

If you mix liquor, a moving vessel, slippery deck or railing and horseplay. Anything is possible.

You got that right.

I read there were 6 crewmembers that witnessed this one...

Accidentenly yes, he certainly didnt just fall over the rail..

Intentional suicide---I dont think so.

Sounds to me like horseplay and/or a dare----

---Talk about suffering from major guilt!.

.

What a shame, heart goes out to his family and friends.

I read that he was standing on one of the horizontal rungs of the rail for a picture. Kinda easy to lose your balance and fall over doing that.:(

my prayers go out to this mans family and friends, lets hope he is located quickly

So far This week alone (I count this one too) Norwegian Perl had to woman who went missing off Cozumel, and now an employee fell off the Sensation off of Florida. People PLEASE keep your feet on the ground. :eek:

Seriously though I really hope they find him.

I read that he was standing on one of the horizontal rungs of the rail for a picture. Kinda easy to lose your balance and fall over doing that.:(

Geez! Now that is just plain stupidity if this is the case..:( But my prayers go out to him and his family...

how sad for all, the man who fell, his family and the crew...prayers to all

There called epirbs and there all over the decks near the life rings. Your suppose to throw them overboard if someone goes in. There suppose to keep track of the currents so they know where to look. I saw them at the railing on our last cruise. I guess most people don't know what they are.

 

http://www.defender.com/category.jsp?path=-1|344|302025&id=320618&gclid=CM7TnpSU7pcCFQpuGgodkW4RCg

They have personal epirbs that you wear on your belt. They are the size of a large cell phone and activate if you fall in the water. It will transmit your location via satellite so the coast guard can locate you.

Yes, the word around the ship last night was he climbed up on one of the rungs of the rail for a picture. The seas were very rough, prob 7-9 feet at times. Happened around 12:45am, Coast Guard had a plane there around 1:30am, helicopter around 2:00am. Amazingly, the boat doesn't really have a good spotlight system. There were 3 blinking lights that were overboard, I would assume 2 rings and one of those GPS items mentioned (two white, one orange).

We circled back to them first and then started a spiraling pattern outward of that it seemed. I went to bed around 3am, seas seemed to be the worst at that point, but woke up at 6 and we were still floating in the same area. Saw a few other lights out so I assume those were the Coast Guard boats mentioned in the article, however, shortly after we started hauling it to Pt Canaveral.

I don't think Carnival has released the name yet to the media, but sad to say, from what was being said around the ship, this person was extremely talented after watching the show on Wednesday night, and I hope that they find him safe. Sad way to end a cruise.