The Coast Guard suspended its search Thursday evening for a cruise passenger who reportedly jumped overboard following an altercation with security.
The Coast Guard searched for about 14 hours after an unidentified 32-year-old woman escaped the hold of two security guards and is said to have thrown herself 10 stories down into the ocean, though her actual fall was not recorded in a video of the incident. The cruise was heading from Cozumel, Mexico, to New Orleans, Louisiana, when the incident occurred 150 miles offshore from Southwest Pass, Louisiana.
“The decision to suspend a search and rescue case is never one we come to lightly,” said Chief Warrant Officer Tricia Eldredge, command duty officer at Sector New Orleans. “We offer our deepest sympathies to the family during this difficult time.”
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The woman, a passenger on ship Carnival Valor, was detained by security following a reported altercation with a man in a hot tub. A video documenting part of the incident showed three security officers escorting the woman away with her hands behind her back. She was belligerent and screamed, “Alicia!” before the group left the camera view. A few seconds later, dozens of passengers were seen rushing to the rail and scanning the water.
Video shows moments before hand-cuffed woman, 32, ‘jumped’ off Carnival Valor cruise ship into Gulf of Mexico to her presumed death after ‘incident in hot-tub’: Search is called off
A 32-year-old woman went overboard on the Carnival pic.twitter.com/0rEx9F4MJ0— MassiVeMaC (@SchengenStory) February 18, 2022
“Carnival Valor supported the search for a guest who jumped overboard from her balcony on Wednesday evening while the ship was at sea,” Carnival Cruise spokesman Matt Lupoli told the Washington Examiner. “The ship’s command immediately began search and rescue procedures, returned to the area near where the incident occurred, and notified the U.S. Coast Guard. Carnival’s CARE team is providing support to the guest’s husband who was traveling with her, as well as her family.”
Carnival also disputed passenger claims the woman was handcuffed.
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“Security got her out of the hot tub. Whenever they got to take her into custody, apparently she was upset and went over the rail,” Kim Barnette, a passenger, told WAFB Baton Rouge.
“And when she jumped off, she apparently hit her head on the side of the boat. And, then she hit the water face first,” another passenger, Randy, told the outlet.
