Carnival Cruise passenger jumps overboard from ship heading to California
A passenger went overboard from a cruise ship heading to southern California from Mexico over the weekend, prompting an ongoing search by the U.S. Coast Guard and Mexican authorities.
The incident took place aboard the Carnival Panorama, operated by Carnival Cruise Line, as the ship was heading from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Long Beach, Calif., a Carnival Cruise spokesperson told NBC News and ABC News.
Global News has reached out to Carnival Cruise Line for further comment, but has not received a response.
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“Carnival Cruise Line confirmed Saturday that a male guest aboard Carnival Panorama jumped overboard while the ship was sailing from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Long Beach, California,” a Carnival Cruise Line spokesperson said in a statement to the outlets.
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“When notified of a missing guest, the ship’s team initiated search and investigation procedures, including reviewing CCTV footage and notifying both the U.S. and Mexico Coast Guards. Carnival is providing support to the family who was traveling with the guest, and our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones,” the spokesperson added.
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The passenger, only identified as a 56-year-old man, was aboard the seven-night cruise that sailed to several coastal communities in Mexico before heading back to southern California.
In a statement to Global News, the U.S. Coast Guard said that it is currently “searching for a 56-year-old man reported overboard from the cruise ship Carnival Panorama off the coast of Mexico late Friday night.”
“Rescue Coordination Center Alameda was notified Saturday afternoon and is coordinating search and rescue efforts. The Coast Guard launched fixed wing aircraft to assist with the search and is coordinating search efforts with the Mexican Navy and commercial vessels in the area. The search remains ongoing,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard added.
The cause of the passenger going overboard is under investigation, the spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard added.
The incident comes months after a woman died after falling from a balcony of a Carnival Cruise ship in California.
Carnival Cruise Line confirmed the death of a Carnival Firenze guest in a statement to Global News at the time, adding that the unidentified woman fell from the balcony of her stateroom and landed on a deck below.
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The woman was travelling with her family, who alerted the ship’s crew, according to the statement provided to Global News.
“Carnival’s Care Team is supporting the guest’s family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones,” spokesperson Julie Leonardi said.
“As is customary following these kinds of incidents, law enforcement was on board while the ship was in Catalina Island on Monday to collect information,” the statement said. “The family is now off the ship and has returned home.”
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The Carnival Cruise Line has also recently made headlines for the death of Anna Kepner, 18, who died aboard a Carnival cruise ship last year.
Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother pleaded not guilty and waived his appearance at a hearing in Miami federal court on charges of murder and aggravated sexual abuse in her death.
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Timothy Hudson was indicted as an adult by a federal grand jury on April 13 in the death of Kepner, whose body was found under a bed in a Carnival Horizon room that she was sharing with him and another teen during a family trip in November 2025.
According to court records, Hudson was travelling aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Horizon with Kepner and other family members on or about Nov. 6 to 7, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida said in a press release.
“During that time, while the ship was in international waters en route to Miami, T.H. allegedly sexually assaulted and intentionally killed Kepner. The Miami-Dade Medical Examine’’s Office later determined the cause of death to be mechanical asphyxiation.”
Mechanical asphyxia is when an object or physical force stops someone from breathing.
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