Search For Carnival Cruise Passengers Who Went Overboard
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The search continued Thursday for a couple who went missing Wednesday night from a cruise ship making its way toward the eastern coast of Australia.
Surveillance video from the Carnival Spirit showed the 30-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman tumble off the ship from the mid deck when it was north of Sydney, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.
The ship, which had more than 2,600 passengers onboard, was on the last leg of a 10 trip when the couple went over board.
As the ship approached its last stop at Mare Island in New Caledonia Thursday morning, family and friends noticed that the couple wasn't there, according to said Carnival spokesman Peter Taylor.
"The guests in question were traveling with family and friends, and initial reports indicate that the couple was last seen onboard the vessel last night," Traylor in a statement on Thursday. "The ship immediately initiated standard missing person procedures, including a full search of the vessel, as per protocol."
The ship, part of the Miami-base Carnival Cruise Lines, has around 600 surveillance cameras that are constantly monitored, although no one reported seeing the fall at the time.
Investigators said no life vests were missing, which indicate that no one had to rescue the couple.
Australian investigators said they plan to enhance the surveillance video which capture the couple going overboard to determine if they jumped or fell.
CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed to this report.
