An emergency situation took place on Norwegian Jewel as the cruise ship was crossing the Atlantic Ocean on a 12-day sailing from Barcelona, Spain to Miami, Florida. The ship departed Barcelona on October 15, 2025.
Several news outlets have reported someone falling overboard, which set off a major search and rescue operation far out in the North East Atlantic.
‘Code Oscar’ Heard at 2 AM
The emergency on Norwegian Jewel began early on October 21, 2025. Passengers were suddenly woken up around 2:00 AM by an announcement over the speakers with the message “Code Oscar starboard“.
‘Code Oscar’ is the emergency signal for a “person overboard,” used by cruise lines to alert the crew of the situation without being too alarming to passengers on the ship.
A British passenger confirmed that the captain later announced someone had “gone overboard” and that the ship was immediately entering “search and rescue mode,” which involved the vessel circling in the Atlantic Ocean.
Because the incident happened at 2:00 AM, it was a lot harder for the crew to carry out the rescue operation in the darkness.
Mid-Atlantic Search
When the emergency took place, the Norwegian Cruise Line ship was deep in the North East Atlantic Ocean, far from any national Coast Guard help, complicating rescue efforts.
The ship had recently left Ponta Delgada, Portugal, on October 20th . Because the ship was in international waters, the crew had the main responsibility for the search during the most critical first few hours. The time of the incident and the water temperature make the speed of the rescue important for survival.
One passenger onboard stated that “the Captain just announced that we are in a search and rescue mission and will be circling. He asked passengers to stay calm and inside.”
Search Called Off
After the alarm, Norwegian Jewel slowed down and went through the turning procedures to go back over the spot where the person fell. The crew also launched search teams.
Tracking data showed the Norwegian Jewel returned to its normal, high cruising speed of over 20 knots, after going back and forth over the area for more than 10 hours. The ship is now heading toward Miami.
A large ship typically only resumes its cruising speed when the captain or the coordinating rescue center decides the search has been suspended.
The ship is still expected to arrive in Miami on its scheduled date of October 27, 2025.
NCL’s Response
Norwegian Cruise Line has not yet released an official statement after the incident. Cruise lines usually wait until investigations are complete and the family has been formally notified.
Norwegian Jewel, built in 2005, is now 20 years old. While advanced MOBD systems (which use cameras and sensors to automatically detect a fall) are available, some older vessels are not equipped with these sensors.
Without this technology, the crew have to rely on visual confirmation and if anyone saw the person go overboard. And at 2:00AM, it makes matters even more difficult.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones during this time.
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