Search suspended after 66-year-old woman falls from cruise ship out of Florida, US Coast Guard says
Oct 24, 2024, 1:00 PM
(Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service/Getty Images)
MIAMI (WESH) — The search for a 66-year-old woman who fell from a Taylor Swift-themed cruise on Tuesday night has been suspended, the U.S. Coast Guard has announced.
According to the USCG, the woman traveling on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas ship that left from Miami Monday went overboard the next night just before 10 p.m. At the time, the ship was about 17 miles north of Nassau, Bahamas.
By Wednesday afternoon, the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, the lead agency in this case, suspended active search efforts for the woman pending further developments. The USCG, who previously diverted a helicopter and airplane crew to the area for assistance, said they were no longer needed in the investigation.
The cruise — which departed from Florida the day after Swift finished a three-night run of her esteemed Eras Tour in Miami — was a four-day trip to the Bahamas and back, scheduled to make stops in Nassau and Coco Cay.
It is unclear if the incident impacted the ship’s itinerary, but maps show the trip proceeding as advertised. In a statement to WESH 2 Wednesday, Royal Caribbean said they were “providing support and assistance to the guest’s family.”
While the ship was not solely reserved for fans of Swift, travel agents at Marvelous Mouse Travels worked with Royal Caribbean to make the voyage an opportunity for fans to vacation together and attend private events like friendship bracelet swapping, dance parties and Taylor Swift-themed trivia.
According to the event’s website, all 199 staterooms reserved for the event were booked. It is unclear if the woman who went overboard was part of the group.
At this time, the woman’s identity remains unknown and officials have not said what may have caused the fall.
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