Search for missing Carnival Cruise passenger who jumped off ship

Authorities are desperately trying to locate a man who went missing after he reportedly jumped off a Carnival Cruise ship on the weekend.

Authorities are desperately trying to locate a man who went missing after he jumped off a Carnival Cruise ship heading towards Florida over the weekend.

The passenger identified as Jaylen Hill was on-board the Carnival Elation cruise when his companion alerted staff that he disappeared on Sunday.

It prompted security to check CCTV footage in an attempt to track Mr Hill’s movements.

According to a statement released by the major cruise liner, a clip showed the 30-year-old jumping off the side of the boat about 152km off the coast of Melbourne — a coastal city north of Vero Beach in Florida.

The search continues to locate a man who reportedly jumped off a Carnival Cruise ship on the weekend. Picture: Alamy

“The crew was notified by his travelling companion late (Sunday) afternoon about his missing status after he had not been seen all day,” the statement read.

“Sadly, after an exhaustive on-board search and a review of security camera video it was determined that he jumped.”

The Coast Guard is desperately trying to locate the young man with the help air and sea crews.

The cruise operator said it alerted authorities about the incident and was advised to proceed to its final stop in Jacksonville.

“The Carnival Care Team is providing support to the guest’s family and our thoughts are with them and the guest,” the cruise line said.

The Coast Guard is desperately trying to locate the young man with the help air and sea crews.

#UPDATE @USCG air and surface crews continue to search for missing 30-year-old male, Jaylen Hill, last seen at approximately 8 a.m., Sunday, before reportedly going overboard from the cruise ship Carnival Elation, 95 miles east of Melbourne, Florida. #SAR pic.twitter.com/E0kkOH2yfx

— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) July 24, 2023

It reportedly dispatched a 26 metre cutter Tarpon from St. Petersburg, a Hercules aircraft based out of Clearwater and a Miami-based Ocean Sentry aircraft.

“Air and surface crews continue to search for missing 30-year-old male, Jaylen Hill, last seen at approximately 8am, Sunday, before reportedly going overboard from the cruise ship Carnival Elation, 95 miles east of Melbourne, Florida,” it said in a Twitter post on Tuesday morning alongside a photo of the missing man.

The Carnival Elation vessel had just wrapped up a four-day trip to the Bahamas, which ended in Jacksonville Monday morning.

It can carry 2,190 guests, is 261 metres long, and has 900 crew members aboard, according to the company website. It is also the smallest Carnival cruise ship and the line’s second-oldest vessel.

The cruise liner said its Carnival Care Team is providing support to the guest’s family “and our thoughts are with them and the guest”.

Meanwhile, another man also went overboard on a Carnival Cruise off the coast of Florida in May.

According to The Coast Guard statement footage on the ship showed the man had “leaned over the railing of his stateroom balcony and dropped into the water”.