The search for a missing crew member thought to have fallen overboard from Carnival Spirit in the South Pacific has been suspended without success.
Concerns for the missing man, thought to be part of the kitchen crew, saw the cruise liner which embarked on the 12-day South Pacific cruise from Sydney on July 3, retrace its course last night near Vanuatu.
“Carnival Cruise Lines had yesterday confirmed it was deeply concerned for a team member who was unaccounted for on Carnival Spirit,” a Carnival Australia spokesperson said.
“A full crew muster and an extensive search of the ship had been carried out to locate him after he failed to report to his normal work station yesterday morning. When he could not be located, Carnival Spirit was turned around to retrace its course and search and rescue authorities were also notified.”
However, the spokesperson confirmed that the missing team member has not been located, with New Caledonia search and rescue suspending the operation and Carnival Spirit released from the pattern.
Passengers have been updated on the situation and its effect on their cruise itinerary, with today's scheduled call to Port Denarau, Fiji cancelled. The ship is sailing to Suva for tomorrow's scheduled call.
It is not the first overboard disaster for the Australia-based cruise liner. In May last year, Paul Rossington, 30, and his 27-year-old girlfriend Kristen Schroder plunged to their deaths during a 10-day Pacific Island cruise.
At the time, Carnival Australia boss Ann Sherry described the circumstances as “terrible”.
“We are a very regulated industry and safety and security is our number priority, our number one priority,” she said.
Meanwhile, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) stressed that the incidence of persons going overboard on cruise ships is “uncommon”.
The organisation said that cruise lines must adhere to International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requirements which are designed to ensure that safety railings are properly placed throughout a ship and that they are at a height which would prevent an accidental overboard incident.
“Most CLIA members, including Carnival Cruise Lines, exceed the IMO railing height requirement,” it said.
