Cruise Ship Crew Member Falls Overboard Off Massachusetts Coast, Still Missing After Search Efforts
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted to a crew member going overboard off the 'Norwegian Breakaway' late Saturday evening
Credit: Norwegian Cruise Line
NEED TO KNOW
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A Norwegian Breakaway crew member fell overboard Saturday night about 12 miles off Cape Cod, authorities say
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The U.S. Coast Guard led search efforts, deploying helicopters and rescue boats before suspending the search Sunday afternoon
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The Coast Guard eventually cleared the ship to continue its voyage, where it arrived in Boston on Sunday
The search for a missing Norwegian Cruise Line crew member who went overboard over the weekend has been suspended, according to multiple reports.
The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England confirmed to local outlets CBS News Boston and WCVB they received a report of a Norwegian Breakaway crew member falling overboard in the late evening on Saturday, April 25. Authorities said the crew member was seen falling from an upper deck and into the waters about 12 miles off the coast of Cape Cod in security camera footage.
The vessel was returning to Boston after a seven-day, round-trip Bermuda sailing, according to CruiseMapper .
Credit: Norwegian Cruise Line
After a ship-wide man overboard alert was called, the Breakaway subsequently turned around to help assist in the search. A rescue boat and life rings were deployed at the last known position of the crew member, the Coast Guard says.
A Coast Guard search helicopter arrived at the scene just after 1:15 a.m. on Sunday morning. Crews from the Coast Guard Station Provincetown also assisted in the operation.
Another helicopter reportedly took off later Sunday morning, but the search was suspended at 12:25 p.m., pending new information.
“The United States Coast Guard has taken over the search and rescue operation and released the vessel to continue the voyage,” a Norwegian spokesperson tells CruiseHive . “The safety, security, and well-being of our crew is our highest priority. Our thoughts are with the crewmember's family during this difficult time.”
The identity of the crew member has not been released.
Credit: Clarence Holmes Photography/Alamy Stock Photo
The Breakaway arrived at Boston's Black Falcon Terminal on Sunday, just before noon, according to CBS News Boston.
“It's very heartbreaking. [Sunday] morning they ended up saying that someone went over, a crew went over the ledge,” passenger Rebecca Durandisse of Needham, Mass., who saw search crews on the water, tells the outlet. “I was in my estate room, lying in bed. I was drifting off to sleep when I noticed a light go on that woke me up, because I had my window open. And then I heard some loud noises."
Rachel Goodman, an entertainer on the ship, tells WCVB the man overboard alert went off during one of her performances.
“It was the last couple of songs and they said, ‘Code Oscar,'” she says. “Not a lot of guests know what that means. They ended up alerting guests [Sunday] morning. [The captain] said you know, please think of his family and friends and be kind to the staff.”
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PEOPLE has reached out to Norwegian Cruise Line and the U.S. Coast Guard for comment.
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