LONG BEACH, CA — A 56-year-old man is missing after he reportedly went overboard from the Carnival Panorama on Saturday, prompting a search by the U.S. Coast Guard and other vessels in the area. Carnival said cameras aboard the ship captured a male passenger going overboard, according to statements cited in several news reports.
The ship was returning to California from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, when the incident happened. The circumstances that led to the fall or jump have not been made public.
Carnival said it is supporting the passenger’s family, who were traveling with him, and offered condolences to loved ones.
Carnival Panorama had sailed from Long Beach to Puerto Vallarta days earlier
The Carnival Panorama departed Long Beach on Sept. 13 and was on its way back from the Mexican resort city when the overboard incident occurred. The vessel is part of Carnival’s West Coast operation and regularly carries vacationers between Southern California and Mexico.
After the passenger was reported missing, the ship altered course and headed back toward Puerto Vallarta. That reversal drew attention from people on board, including passengers who began hearing repeated announcements over the public-address system.
Authorities have not publicly identified the man. Carnival has not said what, if anything, was happening before he went overboard.
Coast Guard launched aircraft and worked with Mexican Navy and commercial ships
The U.S. Coast Guard said it launched fixed-wing aircraft to help with the search and is coordinating efforts with the Mexican Navy and commercial vessels in the area. In a statement provided to news outlets, a Coast Guard spokesperson said the search remained ongoing.
The Coast Guard did not immediately respond to a Tuesday request for comment from The Guardian. The agency’s involvement underscores how quickly a routine cruise can turn into a multiagency rescue effort once a person is reported missing at sea.
Searches in open water are often difficult because of distance, currents and visibility, and officials have not said how long the man had been missing before the alarm was raised.
Passengers described a quiet ship and repeated calls for the missing traveler
Passenger Misty Hernandez, who was aboard the ship, said she noticed the vessel had turned around and was heading back toward Puerto Vallarta. She said the intercom repeatedly announced the name of a passenger through the morning.
At first, she thought the announcements might be tied to a billing issue or another routine problem. After hearing the name several times, she said she realized something more serious was happening.
Passengers were later told to return to their rooms for a headcount and informed that a missing-person search was underway, according to a video Hernandez shared with The Guardian. Hours later, the captain told passengers that someone had gone overboard.
Travelers said the atmosphere changed sharply after the missing-person alert
Hernandez said the ship, which had been loud and bustling earlier, grew quiet as passengers came out of their cabins and tried to understand what had happened. She said she prayed with several women she met in a hallway while the situation developed.
By evening, other passengers had written messages about the missing traveler on a piece of posterboard, reflecting the concern felt across the ship. The man’s condition remained unknown as the search continued.
Hernandez said she briefly saw the man believed to have gone overboard with his wife and children in an elevator earlier in the trip. She said they had mentioned it was their anniversary trip.
Overboard cases are rare but often end badly in open water
While cruise ships are equipped with cameras and safety procedures, a person who falls or jumps overboard faces a dangerous environment once they leave the vessel. The water around large ships can be difficult to search, especially after the ship has moved on and conditions change.
Hernandez said she was thinking about the man’s family as the situation unfolded. “My heart just hurts for their family,” she said. Carnival also said its thoughts were with them and the loved ones affected by the incident.
The Coast Guard has not said when it expects the search to end. For now, the missing passenger remains unaccounted for while crews from the United States, Mexico and nearby vessels continue to look.
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