HOUSTON – Crews have discovered a body while searching for a passenger who went overboard on a cruise ship out of Galveston, officials with Carnival Cruise Lines have confirmed.
On Tuesday, a report was received of a 54-year-old man having potentially gone overboard on Carnival Triumph which was confirmed through a review of the vessel's camera footage. The ship promptly initiated search and rescue operations in conjunction with Mexican authorities who also deployed vessels to the location off the coast of northern Mexico in the Gulf of Mexico.
KPRC 2 talked to a woman aboard the Carnival Triumph Wednesday. "The cruise director came over the intercom and said a passenger had gone overboard," said passenger Stephanie Poe. "Please keep the passenger and their families in your prayers."
Wednesday morning, Mexican authorities located a body believed to be the missing man. The body is being taken to Mexico, then it will be repatriated back to the U.S. following confirmed identification.
"The morale is still pretty down, people aren't dancing," said Poe. "I don't think they're really drinking excessively. I think everyone's pretty bummed out."
Carnival Triumph was on the last leg of a five-day cruise from Galveston, Texas. The ship's arrival into Galveston Thursday is expected to be delayed until 11 a.m.
"Our foremost care and concern is with the loved ones of our guest at this very difficult time. Carnival's CareTeam is providing support to the individual's traveling companions," company officials said.