MIAMI — Active search efforts have been suspended Wednesday afternoon for a 66-year-old woman who fell overboard off a Royal Caribbean cruise ship near the Bahamas.
The U.S. Coast Guard told WPTV News it was assisting the Royal Bahamas Defense Force in the search for a passenger who fell off the Allure of the Seas at approximately 9:40 p.m. Tuesday, 17 miles north of Nassau, Bahamas.
The Coast Guard said it had multiple aircraft involved in the search.
However, the agency posted on X just before 3 p.m. that the Royal Bahamas Defense Force has suspended its "active search efforts pending further developments" and were no longer requesting help from the Coast Guard.
#UPDATE #FINAL "We were informed by @TheRBDF this afternoon that they are suspending the active search efforts pending further developments & were no longer requesting further @USCG assistance,” said Lt. Connor Pascale, Coast Guard liaison officer.@USEmbassyNassau #SAR pic.twitter.com/Vnn0NqD8BZ
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) October 23, 2024
According to its itinerary, the Allure of the Seas departed PortMiami on Monday for a four-night cruise. It was scheduled to have stops in Nassau and Coco Cay, before arriving back in Miami on Friday.
This particular voyage is notable because nearly 200 of the ship's staterooms are reserved for a special Taylor Swift themed sailing, following her "Eras Tour" concerts at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens last weekend.
Royal Caribbean released the following statement to WPTV News on Wednesday morning:
"Our crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort and is working with local authorities. We are also providing support and assistance to the guest's family during this difficult time. To respect the privacy of our guest’s family, we have no additional details to share."
The woman's identity has not been released, and it's unclear is she was one of the passengers in the Taylor Swift cruise group.
