The male passenger who jumped off the largest cruise ship on Sunday plunged to his death after falling 90 feet and hitting the water. The New York Post reported that the cruise ship’s staff knew what transpired before the man hit the water.
The passenger jumped from the fifth level of Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas on the first day of the week-long journey. The report mentioned that each deck on the ship is about 20 feet, which means the man fell approximately 90 feet into the water. The passenger has not yet been identified.
‘We knew what had happened literally seconds after he hit the water.’
After the man dropped into the water, the ship was stopped for around two hours so a recovery effort could be completed, according to WFLA. According to crew members, the man was soon transported in a van to the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The police arrived on the scene and took statements from those who witnessed the tragic event. They also obtained surveillance footage of the incident.
The man jumped from the ship on May 26, which set off the overboard detection system. The onboard staff immediately took action, according to a security team member.
“We knew what had happened literally seconds after he hit the water,” one source said. “The protocol is that we’re supposed to immediately make visual contact to see if we can spot him.”
“It’s the captain’s call whether to stop and turn around, and he did,” he added.
After the security team was notified of the incident, they prepared a rescue boat and went out to retrieve the man.
The ship includes what is called a Category 6, which Royal Caribbean notes as the “largest waterpark at sea.” The ship can hold up to 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members, per WFLA.
Following the incident, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean issued the following statement: “The ship’s crew immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard and launched a search and rescue operation. Our Care Team is actively providing support and assistance to the guest’s loved ones during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share.”
One source indicated that the man was likely not alive when the rescue team pulled him out of the water.
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Human interest