The US Coast Guard announced that it is searching for a 50-year-old passenger reported missing from the cruise ship ‘Carnival Paradise’ on Tuesday, approximately 85 miles west of Fort Myers, Florida. The missing man is identified as Brian Lamonds, Greensboro, North Carolina.
USCG Sector Key West watchstanders received a call at approximately 10 a.m., from the cruise ship, stating the man was missing and reportedly went overboard. At the time, the ship was underway on a six-day cruise from Tampa to Key West, at the time.
A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew, a Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft crew and the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo, homeported in Key West, are aiding in the search.
In an official statement, Carnival said it is cooperating fully with authorities and it is providing support to the guest’s family.
Man overboard issues continue to be alarming for the cruise industry, with 22 people on average falling off a cruise ship every year, comprising both crew and passengers.
Last week, the USCG informed of another such incident involving a 37-year-old crewman of the cruise ship ‘MSC Seaside’, who reportedly fell overboard, approximately 8 nautical miles southeast of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
In mid-April, a female passenger fell overboard the P&O cruise ship ‘Pacific Dawn’, while the ship was sailing 300 kilometres west off New Caledonia.
