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Passengers react after woman falls overboard while traveling on Allure of the Seas: 'Heavy feeling'

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Updated  October 23, 2024 6:58pm EDT
Brevard County
FOX 35 Orlando

Passengers react after woman falls overboard

A woman is missing after authorities said she fell overboard while traveling on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas. It happened on Tuesday at the Miami-based ship around 9:30 p.m. Cruise ships changed course to try and find the passenger, and on Wednesday afternoon, the United States Coast Guard was still searching.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A woman is missing after authorities said she fell overboard while traveling on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas.

It happened on Tuesday at the Miami-based ship around 9:30 p.m. Cruise ships changed course to try and find the passenger, and on Wednesday afternoon, the United States Coast Guard was still searching. 

FOX 35 News learned from passengers on the Port Canaveral-based Utopia Seas Ship that their ship also tried to help find the passenger. 

The U.S. Coast Guard says a 66-year-old woman went overboard, and they’ve used boats and helicopters to search so far. In the dead of night, cruisers captured video of rescuers being lowered into the ocean as small boats and spotlights searched for the person lost at sea. 

"I just can’t imagine the panic," said passenger Sheena Martin who is currently on board the Allure of the Seas. 

She said she stayed up for hours with her family scanning the dark water for signs of life. 

"I think everybody was really wanting to help and hoping that we would spot them in the water, but we weren’t able to," she said. 

The late-night search took place 17 miles off the coast of the Bahamas and quickly multiplied. 

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One passenger, Omar Rodriguez, recorded a video of the Utopia of the Seas captain announcing around 11 p.m. that they were shifting course. 

The captain said during the announcement, "It is everybody’s duty when we are out at sea to assist and help, and that’s why we have turned the ship around."

The longtime cruiser had never heard anything like that before. 

"This is my #56 cruise and the first time I hear a captain at that time of the night," said Rodriguez. "The captain was just alerting the passengers about the situation that was happening."

Royal Caribbean shared this statement with FOX 35 about the incident:

"Our crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort and is working with local authorities. We are also providing support and assistance to the guest's family during this difficult time."

"It’s a heavy feeling for sure," added Martin, who says they docked early Wednesday morning at CocoCay. 

"Hopefully, they can find her," concluded Rodriguez. 

While the United States Coast Guard is helping with the search, the Royal Bahamas Defense Force will lead the investigation. 

No details were immediately released on how exactly the woman went overboard. 

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