MSC SEASCAPE

A search is underway after a 30-year-old crewmember went overboard on an MSC Seascape cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean north of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, on Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The crewmember, from India, was reportedly seen going overboard, approximately 80-feet from the bow of the cruise ship from a height of approximately 32-feet above the water. 

The man was last seen wearing a white shirt with red shorts.

The Coast Guard said they received the report at 8:57 p.m. Tuesday night as the ship was enroute from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

The cruise ship reported throwing a lifeline and three life rings, along with launching an onboard rescue boat to search the waters.

“Watchstanders coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter diverted the Coast Guard Cutters Joseph Napier and Joseph Doyle to the scene,” a news release states.

Once on scene, the Coast Guard aircrew commenced searching and deployed a self-locating datum marker buoy that measures sea currents to assist with the search. 

Shortly thereafter the Coast Guard cutters arrived on-scene. At approximately 7:30 a.m. the Coast Guard aircrew reported locating the three life-rings within the search area.

The ship continued its voyage to Dominican Republic after being released from the search.

In an update earlier today, the U.S Coast Guard said that it suspended the search for the crewmember Wednesday night, who is believed to have fallen overboard in the Atlantic Ocean north of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and fellow crewmembers of this young man,” commented Capt. Jose E. Díaz, Sector San Juan commander.  

Sophia Lesseos, a news reporter while she was on vacation aboard the cruise ship, reported in X (former twitter) that a crew member had fallen overboard.