There is a somber mood on a Taylor Swift-themed cruise this morning, after a 66-year-old woman went overboard and is still missing.
The 4-day cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas was 17 miles off the coast of Nassau when the woman fell from the 6,780-passenger ship.
The U.S. Coast Guard is working with local Bahamian authorities to look for the cruise passenger who went overboard Tuesday night around 9:40pm.
It is not clear if the woman was part of the “Swifties” group, and it should be noted that Taylor Swift herself is not on board the vessel.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson told news outlets that they are supporting the family during this difficult time.
“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. To respect the privacy of our guest’s family, we have no additional details to share,” the spokesperson said.
The search for the woman continues today as an HC-144 airplane and MH-65 Dolphin helicopter are part of the search and rescue efforts.
Utopia of the Seas, another Oasis-class ship with Royal Caribbean, also turned around from it’s route to help in the search for the missing passenger.
The 4-day cruise on Allure of the Seas which began on Monday is scheduled to return to PortMiami on Friday.
While it’s being labeled a Taylor-Swift themed cruise, the whole event, organized by Travefy, only has a partial number of its passengers participating.
According to reports, about 400 Taylor Swift fans are on the cruise ship. Activities on the ship included friendship bracelet exchanges, Taylor Swift trivia, dance parties, and Swiftie Karaoke.
What happens when someone goes overboard on a cruise ship?
While it’s extremely rare for a cruise passenger to go overboard on accident, cruise ships have procedures in place for any passenger that falls into the sea.
The “Man Overboard” call will instantly put the crew into search and rescue mode. “Oscar Oscar Oscar” or “Code Oscar” will be heard over public loudspeakers on a cruise ship during these events.
As soon as the crew discover that someone has gone overboard, the captain will immediately try to turn the ship around and pinpoint the exact spot the person fell in.
The bridge will then contact the coast guard, and rescue boats will be deployed to search for the passenger.
The captain will also contact other vessels in the area to help with a search operation, and they are obligated to do so.
Although there are 20 incidents each year, most of these events can be traced back to passengers who fail to follow safety guidelines or willfully jumped off the ship.
It is unclear what circumstances surrounded this recent incident. Even in the event of a person going overboard from a cruise ship, there is a chance of survival, and much of it depends on how quickly the crew is able to respond.
Cruise Fever will update this story as more information and updates become available.
