Coast Guard suspends search for Carnival Cruise passenger who allegedly jumped from ship
USCG identified the passenger who 'jumped overboard' on the Elation's way back to Jacksonville as 30-year-old Jaylen Hill
The Carnival Sunshine cruise ship sailed through rough seas May 27 on a return trip from the Bahamas to Charleston, South Carolina. (Brad Morrell via Storyful)
The search for a male Carnival Cruise passenger who allegedly jumped from the ship was suspended Monday night, the U.S. Coast Guard announced.
Described as the final update in the search, the USCG Southeast said District 7 suspended search efforts for 30-year-old Jaylen Hill pending any further developments. Hill was a passenger on the Carnival Elation cruise ship and went overboard Sunday approximately 95 miles east of Melbourne, Florida.
USCG cutter and aircraft crews searched more than 1,347 square miles for Hill, the branch said.
"We offer our deepest condolences to the Hill family," Petty Officer Eric Rodriguez, D7, said on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Our crews take our life saving mission very seriously. Any time we can't bring a loved one home to their family is a pain we all feel."
CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIP ROCKED BY ROUGH SEAS, SEVERE WEATHER, SHAKING SOME PASSENGERS
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for 30-year-old Jaylen Hill, who jumped off a Carnival Cruise ship Sunday morning approximately 95 miles east of Melbourne, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File / AP Newsroom)
The ship had been cruising on a path towards Jacksonville, Florida, when a male guest "jumped overboard," Carnival Cruise Line told FOX Business in a statement.
"The crew was notified by his traveling companion late in the afternoon about his missing status after he had not been seen all day. Sadly, after an exhaustive search and a review of security camera footage it was determined that he jumped," the statement continued.
The Coast Guard for the 7th District identified the missing guest as Hill late Monday afternoon.
Carnival Cruise Line said the Elation was "advised to continue to Jacksonville" after informing authorities of the situation on Sunday. It reached that destination the following morning.
"The Carnival Care Team is providing support to the guest’s family and our thoughts are with them and the guest," Carnival also told FOX Business.
The crews involved in the search come from "air stations Miami, Clearwater & Coast Guard Cutter Tarpon," the Coast Guard said Monday morning.
COAST GUARD SUSPENDS SEARCH FOR MAN WHO FELL OVERBOARD FROM CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIP NEAR FLORIDA
The Carnival Elation, the 855-foot ship where the missing man had been a guest, first set sail in the late 90s. It typically sails from Jacksonville to the Bahamas for trips lasting 2-5 days, Carnival's website said.
Two ladies take pictures in front of the Carnival cruise ship Elation in Nassau, Bahamas on April 29, 2019. (DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The cruise to the Bahamas that the Elation was completing when the man went overboard had spanned four days, according to Carnival.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCL | CARNIVAL CORP. | 25.34 | +0.25 | +1.00% |
CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES HAS RECORD FUTURE BOOKINGS, DEMAND REBOUNDS
The company has a total of about two dozen ships under the Carnival Cruise Line brand.