Coast Guard suspends search for missing cruise ship crewmember 37 miles east of Hillsboro Inlet

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 01/25/2019 08:45 AM EST

united states coast guard 

News Release  

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Southeast
Contact: 7th District Public Affairs
Office: 305-415-6683
After Hours: 786-367-7649
7th District online newsroom

Coast Guard suspends search for missing cruise ship crewmember 37 miles east of Hillsboro Inlet

 

MIAMI — Coast Guard crews suspended their search at approximately 7:20 a.m. Friday for a missing Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas cruise ship crewmember 37 miles east of Hillsboro Inlet.

 

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Miami received a call, at approximately 2:40 a.m. Thursday, from the crew of the Majesty of the Seas cruise ship stating a 26-year-old crewmember went overboard.

 

“We’ve been in contact with the crewmember’s family throughout our search efforts and know this is a very difficult and painful time for them,” said Cmdr. Jason Aleksak, Sector Miami chief of response. “Suspending a search is one of the most difficult decisions we have to make as first responders, and it is never made lightly.”

 

Coast Guard rescue crews were composed of the Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark (WPC-1106), homeported in Miami, MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crews from Coast Guard Air Station Miami.

Crews searched for approximately 24 hours covering 1,388 square miles.

For more breaking news follow us on Twitter.

-USCG-