The man was aboard the ‘Norwegian Epic’ headed toward the Bahamas

The 51-year-old man, who remains unidentified, fell overboard at around 3 p.m., and the search was suspended later that night, Newsweek and WESH reported.

The man was aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic, sailing northbound from Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and headed to Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas when he went overboard.

A spokesperson for Norwegian said the crew took immediate action upon learning about the incident.

‘The authorities were immediately notified‘

“The authorities were immediately notified, and a search and rescue operation under the guidance and oversight of the Bahamas Rescue Coordination Center went underway,” the spokesperson told WESH. “After an extensive search that was unfortunately unsuccessful, the ship was released by the authorities to continue its voyage.”

According to Cruise Hive, the crew immediately initiated the search by tossing a flare into the water to mark the ship’s position when they first reported the incident. The search team only had a few hours of daylight to find the man since sunset happened around 5:18 p.m. on Thursday in the Bahamas.

The man was on vacation with his family

Passengers aboard also aided the search, along with Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam, which was nearby and heading to the Caribbean.

Currently, there is no information as to why the man went overboard. However, it was confirmed that the passenger was wearing a blue shirt.

“The guest was traveling with a large group and his family on board is being attended to and supported during this very challenging situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones during this difficult time,” the spokesperson told Cruise Hive.

There have been other recent cruise incidents

This incident is not the first time someone has recently gone overboard during a cruise vacation. The New York Post reported that a 48-year-old woman, returning to Florida on a Princess Cruises ship, had died Saturday after she tried to dive overboard. The incident happened after an eight-day trip in the Caribbean.

“Princess Cruises is deeply saddened to confirm the passing of a 48-year-old female guest who attempted to jump overboard earlier today,” the cruise line told Cruise Radio.

“The guest fell to a lower deck, where she was promptly rescued. Shipboard personnel immediately provided emergency medical care, but despite their best efforts, she could not be revived,” the statement continued.