Crew member reported overboard from 4,000-passenger cruise ship, Norwegian confirms

The search for a missing crew member who went overboard from a cruise ship off the coast of New England late Saturday night has been suspended, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed. 

Security camera footage captured the unidentified crew member, who had been working aboard the Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship, falling into the freezing ocean about 12 miles from Cape Cod. 

The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England then received the report about the overboard incident, deploying a search helicopter and crew from Coast Guard Station Provincetown, CBS News reported. 

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Unfortunately, the search was suspended just after noon on Sunday "pending new information," according to the Coast Guard. 

Passengers sailing on the Norwegian Breakaway, a Breakaway Class ship with a passenger capacity of around 4,000, were en route to Boston from Bermuda, nearing the end of their seven-night cruise. 

The weeklong voyage departed from Massachusetts on April 19 and was scheduled to return early on the 26th. However, the ship's arrival in Boston was slightly delayed because of the incident. 

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The next sailing's embarkation was subsequently delayed, with check-in beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 26.

"Overnight and into the early morning hours, the ship remained engaged in search and rescue efforts following a man overboard situation, working closely with maritime authorities," read the letter delivered to passengers. 

The letter continued, "These efforts required the vessel's full attention before the voyage could safely resume toward Boston. Situations such as these are never easy, and the safety and well-being of those at sea remain at the heart of every decision we make."

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"The safety, security, and well-being of our crew is our highest priority," a Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said in a statement, as reported by NewsCenter 5. "Our thoughts are with the crewmember's family during this difficult time."

Norwegian Breakaway cruise crew overboard incident confirmed

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One guest, Rebecca Durandisse of Needham, Massachusetts, told CBS News that she saw the search crews out on the water. 

"It's very heartbreaking. [Sunday] morning they ended up saying that someone went over, a crew went over the ledge," she said. 

"I was in my estate room, lying in bed. I was drifting off to sleep when I noticed a light go on that woke me up, because I had my window open. And then I heard some loud noises."

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"I'm on the boat also. I went out to my balcony and saw a boat searching the water around the ship. It’s eerily quiet," commented one Redditor. 

Someone else added, "On the ship I'm sure everyone on here heard the announcement it was confirmed a male staff member... who climbed over the railing and fell over. Incredibly sad and my prayers go out to the family, the crew and all his friends. I saw whales this morning hope that's a sign he's at peace and protected."

How many people go overboard on cruise ships?

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When a cruise passenger or crew member goes overboard, the situation is immediately treated as an emergency, and trained team members jump into action.

For starters, the ship's crew will sound a secret "man overboard" emergency signal as soon as they've been alerted about the incident. The specific terminology varies from cruise line to cruise line; however, the signal could be "Oscar, Oscar, Oscar" or "Mr. Mob."

After that, the vessel will slow down and safely turn around to sail back to where the person reportedly fell overboard to begin search-and-rescue operations, including deploying lifeboats and working with local authorities. 

Read more: What happens when someone goes overboard on a cruise ship?

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Then, an investigation will be launched to determine the circumstances surrounding the overboard incident. The cruise line and authorities, for example, must determine whether foul play was involved or if the event was the result of negligence.

Thankfully, it's rather difficult to fall off cruise ships. Although headlines may make it seem like these incidents are common, they are rare when you consider the millions of people who sail annually. 

According to data from the Cruise Lines International Association, around 19 people go overboard each year. To put that into perspective, over 37 million travelers embarked on ocean-going cruises in 2025.