A passenger aboard a Carnival Cruise ship, identified as 30-year-old Jaylen Hill, has reportedly gone missing after he was seen jumping off the vessel. The ship was en route to Florida when the incident occurred. Hill’s family members, who were also on the cruise, alerted the ship’s staff of his disappearance on Sunday.
Security personnel on the ship reviewed surveillance footage to trace Hill’s movements. The video evidence revealed Hill leaping off the side of the ship approximately 95 miles off the coast of Melbourne. The ship’s crew was informed of Hill’s absence by his travel companion late Sunday afternoon, after he had not been seen throughout the day.
Regrettably, despite an exhaustive search on board, the cruise line confirmed that Hill had jumped off the ship. The cruise operator promptly informed the relevant authorities about the incident and was advised to continue to its final destination in Jacksonville.
The Carnival Care Team is currently offering support to Hill’s family. The cruise line expressed its thoughts and sympathies for the family and the missing guest. The ship, Carnival Elation, had just concluded a four-day journey to the Bahamas and was returning to Jacksonville on Monday morning.
The search for the missing passenger is ongoing, with the Coast Guard leading the efforts. The Coast Guard has deployed the 87-foot cutter Tarpon from St. Petersburg, a Hercules aircraft from Clearwater, and a Miami-based Ocean Sentry aircraft, according to WFLA.