A passenger on the Carnival Panorama cruise ship jumped overboard as the vessel concluded its final day of a week-long voyage. The journey began in Long Beach, California, on September 13, and was returning from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, when the incident occurred. According to a spokesperson from Carnival Cruise Line, the passenger was male.
The cruise line confirmed that the individual jumped overboard as the ship proceeded from Puerto Vallarta back to Long Beach. The crew immediately launched search and investigation protocols. These included scrutinizing CCTV footage and alerting the U.S. and Mexico Coast Guards.
The company expressed condolences to the family traveling with the guest. Support services are being provided to them during this difficult time.
A Reddit user identified as an onboard passenger mentioned that announcements about the missing guest began around 11 a.m. on Saturday. The last port of call, Puerto Vallarta, had been departed at 8 p.m. on Thursday. Repeated announcements for the missing passenger continued over several hours.
At approximately 3 p.m., the ship turned around. By 3:30 p.m., a shipwide search was declared. Guests were instructed to return to their rooms for a security ID check, which is standard procedure in such situations.
By 5 p.m., it was confirmed that the guest had gone overboard based on surveillance review. The captain informed the passengers that local authorities would persist in search and rescue efforts. Guests were then allowed to leave their staterooms.
The family of the missing individual was informed and received support from the cruise line’s care team. Passengers were later updated that the ship would return to Long Beach by 9 a.m.