NORFOLK, Va. — Carnival Cruise Line reported a man went overboard on one of its cruise ships.
UPDATE: Wife says husband went overboard Carnival Magic ship returning to Norfolk
Norfolk
Woman says fiancé went overboard Carnival Magic ship returning to Norfolk
The ship, Carnival Magic, departed Norfolk on Thursday, May 25, and headed towards the Bahamas. It returned on the morning of Tuesday, May 30 while the search effort continued.
The guest was reported missing by a travel companion late Monday afternoon, Carnival Cruise Line confirmed to News 3 Monday night.
A spokesperson said, "...an initial review of closed circuit security footage confirms that he leaned over the railing of his stateroom balcony and dropped into the water at approximately 4:10 am early Monday morning."
The USCG released the ship from search and rescue efforts and told the Carnival Magic's captain to continue on its way to Norfolk.
After Carnival Magic returned to Norfolk on Tuesday morning, some passengers told News 3 they heard cruise personnel asking for the man over the intercom several times, but they weren't sure why or how the man was missing.
“There was a security team storming each deck, each floor, concerned. But eventually, they let everybody know that he wasn't found,” said passenger Leevon Porter.
Porter and Symone Stewart, another passenger, said Carnival Magic staff didn’t alert them about the man going overboard. They said instead, they learned the man went overboard through a Facebook post published by his wife.
“There was a Facebook page for the cruise and [the wife of the man who went overboard] put it there,” said Stewart. “But Carnival didn't say anything about it.”
A lot of the passengers who interacted with the man who went overboard described him to News 3 as a great guy who was super fun.
Carnival Cruise Line said its Care Team is providing support to the guest's companion. Their statement is as follows:
Carnival Magic has reported a man overboard to the U.S. Coast Guard. He was reported missing by his companion late Monday afternoon and an initial review of closed circuit security footage confirms that he leaned over the railing of his stateroom balcony and dropped into the water at approximately 4:10 am early Monday morning. The U.S. Coast Guard has released the ship from any search and rescue efforts and advised the ship’s captain to continue on its way to Norfolk where it will arrive as planned on Tuesday. The Carnival Care Team is providing support to the guest’s companion and traveling party who are on board.
Statement from Carnival Cruise Line
Officials did not release any other details about the incident.
This is a developing story. Stay with News 3 for updates.
