Crew member dies after falling overboard on Royal Caribbean cruise ship
A cruise ship worker has died after falling overboard on the Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, the cruise liner has confirmed.
Passengers travelling on the ship recalled an alarm being sounded onboard the vessel at around 7pm on Thursday (24 July).
As soon as warnings were issued that a person had gone overboard, the ship slowed down and turned back, according to eyewitness reports.
Passengers on board the cruise reportedly began throwing life rings in the water, desperately trying to save the worker.
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A huge search and rescue mission was launched and a crew member was recovered from the water 30 minutes later, however, they were sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, all passengers were made to go inside the ship while the decks were cordoned off.
In a statement to 7News Miami, a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said: "Our crew immediately initiated a search and rescue operation, but unfortunately the crew member passed away.
"We extend our condolences to the crew member’s family and loved ones. To respect their privacy, we have no additional details to share."
According to data, the cruise liner, which can carry up to 7,600 passengers at full capacity, altered its course just northeast of San Salvador Island in the Bahamas, approximately 200 miles east of Nassau.
The incident comes just weeks after a young girl managed to fall overboard on a Disney Dream cruise, prompting her dad to dive in after her.
In this instance, the father was able to reach his daughter and successfully tread water until the search and rescue team were able to get them to safety.
A spokesperson for Disney later confirmed that the pair were successfully returned to the ship 'within minutes' of the incident happening and praised staff for their reaction, which 'ensured the safe return of both guests to the ship'.
However, the incident did raise serious questions about how a five-year-old child was able to fall into the water, particularly given that this particular cruise had plexiglass safety barriers to keep young passengers safe.
It was later confirmed the girl had fallen backwards through a porthole while sitting on the ship's railings.
"The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 am Sunday, June 29, on deck 4 of a Disney cruise ship, while the ship was in international waters somewhere between the Bahamas and Port Everglades," the statement from the Broward Sheriff’s Office read.
"Broward Sheriff's Office detectives continue to investigate the moments before a 5-year-old girl lost her balance while sitting on a railing and falling backward through a porthole.
"After the girl's mother alerted her husband, who didn't see the incident, he jumped into the ocean to save his daughter."
Topics: Cruise Ship, Royal Caribbean, World News
Emma Rosemurgey