A crew member has died after going overboard the Regal Princess cruise ship while it was sailing off the coast of Mexico on Monday evening, Princess Cruises has confirmed. The crew member, whose identity has not yet been released, perished despite an extensive search-and-rescue operation that lasted over eight hours.
Incident and Search Operation
Passengers aboard the Regal Princess received an announcement from the captain that a crew member had gone overboard. David Jimenez, a passenger quoted by CBS, said the ship immediately began searching the area, with another cruise ship and Mexican maritime authorities assisting in the effort. "But after searching intensely for over eight hours, the cruise line confirmed the crew member had perished," he added. Jimenez also noted that passengers were not told the identity of the crew member and described the search: "At times the ship slowed down and went in circles. Then they would come back and circle again. They are following procedures but kept people updated every hour."
Cancelled Port Stop and Voyage Resumption
Due to the incident, the ship cancelled its scheduled stop in Cozumel. The Regal Princess had departed Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday for a seven-day Western Caribbean trip that included stops in Mexico, Belize, and Honduras. The cruise has since resumed its voyage and departed the waters off Cancún, with the next stop scheduled for Tuesday in Belize. The seven-day cruise is expected to return to Fort Lauderdale as planned on Saturday.
Company Statement and Background
In a statement, Princess Cruises said: "Our thoughts are with the crew member, their family, and all those impacted by this situation. We are providing support to our onboard team." Princess Cruises has been operating since 1965, starting in Mexico, and now covers more than 345 destinations, including Asia, the Caribbean, and many European ports. Other destinations include Alaska, Australia, Japan, the Mediterranean, and South America.
