Not good news.

[LPCRUISER58]

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/carnival-spirit-turns-around-in-search-for-missing-crew-member/story-fnizu68q-1226981870051

[By The Bay]

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/carnival-spirit-turns-around-in-search-for-missing-crew-member/story-fnizu68q-1226981870051

To save you clicking on the link.

 

THERE are fears a Carnival Spirit crew member has disappeared overboard, with the ship turning around to retrace its course midway through a South Pacific cruise. Carnival Cruise Lines Australia spokesman David Jones said an extensive on-board search had failed to locate the crew member.

Search and rescue authorities have been contacted to assist in the search.

The Sydney-based 2500-passenger ship is currently on a 12-night Pacific Islands cruise.

The ship left Vanuatu yesterday, with today scheduled as a sea day between Vanuatu and Fiji.

[paulvdb1]

It's really freaky given that I was on that ship last week and the question certainly came up in our behind-the-scenes tour. A number of fellow tourers asked the question of the captain and checked out the infrared camera system - which is not automatic - ie there's no alarm. Essentially if the man wasn't noticed straightaway then his chances are around zero. With the ship pushing 20knots, even a very quick turn is going to see the ship a few miles away.

[pwkmpjm]

This is the Official statement by Carnival this afternoon........ We’re deeply concerned to confirm that a valued member of the Carnival Spirit team is currently unaccounted for in spite of an extensive search of the ship earlier today. The search and rescue authorities have been notified and the ship has been turned round to look for the missing team member.

We’ll update Carnival Spirit’s guests on any change to their itinerary should it become necessary. Your thoughts as we do our best to locate the crew member are appreciated.

[MicCanberra]

Wow, what a tragedy. I feel for the staff members' family and close friends at this time. Such a waste for all concerned.

[MadWoofter]

News reports today indicate the search has been called off, with the likelihood of the person being found "literally nil".

 

How awful for his family, and his crew mates.

[MicCanberra]

News reports today indicate the search has been called off, with the likelihood of the person being found "literally nil".

 

How awful for his family, and his crew mates.

Tragic, and no closure for the family.

[CoopColbie]

So tragic ... the poor man's family :(

[Lanwood]

That is terrible news.

 

It has me thinking about what to do if you actually noticed an overboard situation. I know the drill we get at Muster, and obviously the first instinct is to throw something overboard for them to get hold of (and I'll put in alerting a crew member and calling overboard etc before someone strikes me down). But as a previous poster has pointed out, by the time you've grabbed it and thrown it over, at 20 knots, by the time it hits the water, its probably to far away to be of any help??

 

How many people actually survive an overboard situation from a large cruise ship??

[KirkNC]

Terrible news. Thoughts and prayers for the family.

 

One does have to wonder how and why a crew member would be overboard.

[MicCanberra]

Terrible news. Thoughts and prayers for the family.

 

One does have to wonder how and why a crew member would be overboard.

 

Unfortunately people do things and make decisions that we do not understand, all the time, this can happen on a ship just as easily. Suicide or an accident, we will never know for sure but having an accident and falling overboard is unlikely.:D

[Cruise_me_Crazy]

That is terrible news.

 

It has me thinking about what to do if you actually noticed an overboard situation. I know the drill we get at Muster, and obviously the first instinct is to throw something overboard for them to get hold of (and I'll put in alerting a crew member and calling overboard etc before someone strikes me down). But as a previous poster has pointed out, by the time you've grabbed it and thrown it over, at 20 knots, by the time it hits the water, its probably to far away to be of any help??

 

How many people actually survive an overboard situation from a large cruise ship??

 

Sometimes marking the spot with buoy makes it easier to find on the way back. However the ocean is huge and even an immediate response from those large ships would take significant time to return back to the splash zone.

 

RIP to the crew member.