When a cruise ship loses a man overboard, every effort to rescue the lost person is made.

The cruise ship stops, search procedures begin and, where possible, outside resources are called in. That assistance can include nearby ships, the U.S. Coast Guard, and helicopters.

Related: Royal Caribbean takes a stand on cruise ship duck hiding

These incidents, known as a Code Oscar on board, rarely end with the person being rescued. Going overboard, however, is not likely to happen to responsible cruisers.

“A cruise holiday is one of the safest forms of travel,” Andy Harner, U.K. and Ireland director for the trade group Cruise Lines International Association, told The Independent. 

“Cruise ships today are the safest that ever sailed, thanks to the rules, regulations, and technological innovations that govern their design. There are no known cases of someone acting responsibly who has accidentally fallen over the railing of a cruise ship.” 

About 212 man-overboard cases were reported between 2009 and 2019, according to CLIA.

Most recently a man went overboard on Norwegian Epic on Dec. 26, the 18th such incident this year. Cruise News Today’s Doug Parker has all the information.

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Norwegian passenger goes overboard; Cruiser arrested after 10-year manhunt

Transcript:

This is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker. 

Good morning, here’s your cruise news for Friday, December 27. 

A search-and-rescue operation was halted after a 51-year-old passenger went overboard from Norwegian Epic on Thursday.

When the event happened, man-overboard protocols were launched immediately with assistance from a Holland America cruise ship and a local cargo ship but were unsuccessful. 

NCL told Cruise News Today in a statement after an extensive search that was unfortunately unsuccessful, the ship was released by the authorities to continue its voyage. The man was traveling with a family who received support from the cruise line.

This marks the 18th man overboard incident reported in 2024. 

And a cruise passenger was arrested in Miami for allegedly owing over $100,000 in unpaid child support. Dominique Weaver, age 47, had been on the run for more than a decade when they nabbed him.

After the arrest, he was transported to Louisville, Kentucky, where he faces four outstanding cases and possibly felony charges. Authorities say Weaver never made any child support payments and is currently being held at the Louisville Metro Corrections and faces arraignment on January 6. Prosecutors are seeking a four-year prison sentence.

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Cunard faces gastrointestinal issues

And a second outbreak of a gastro illness has struck Cunard’s Queen Mary II, with 223 passengers and 44 crew members falling ill. 

This follows the outbreak that happened on the ship’s transatlantic crossing last week, which impacted 150 people. Though the CDC hasn’t said it was norovirus, that is commonly the culprit this time of year.

December has seen five cases of outbreaks, the most in any months of this year. 

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And the photo of the week comes from Daryl taken from Trunk Bay in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Love this photo here.

Great rainbow too. Send yours in. Photos at cruiseradio.net. All photos are subject to broadcast.

Tips@cruiseradio.net. Have yourself a great weekend. And I hope you had a great Christmas and happy holiday. I’m Doug Parker with Cruise News Today.

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