An urgent rescue operation has been launched for a crew member overboard the Regal Princess cruise ship, which is operated by Princess Cruises, owned by the Carnival Corporation. Here’s our latest update on the developing news.
The vessel began search operations off the coast of Cancun, in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Search-tracking data shows the ship making turns and going off course on Monday morning, July 13. Princess Cruises has confirmed it is coordinating with the relevant authorities, and the Regal Princess is involved in the search.
Cruise Hive reached out to the cruise line and received the following statement:
“Princess Cruises is responding to a situation involving a crew member aboard Regal Princess in waters off the coast of Cancun. The crew member is currently unaccounted for, and an active search and rescue operation is underway. Princess is coordinating closely with maritime authorities, and search efforts remain ongoing.“
The 3,560-passenger ship is currently on a week-long western Caribbean cruise that departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida on July 11. The ship was scheduled to make calls to Cozumel, Mexico, on July 13; Belize on July 14; and a final call at Roatán, Honduras, on July 15. Regal Princess is scheduled to return to Florida on July 18.
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With the 142,229 gross ton ship now involved in search operations, the sailing has been impacted. The call to Cozumel today has not taken place. The cruise tracker shows Regal Princess turning around before reaching Cozumel Island, and it’s yet unclear how the subsequent port calls will be affected.
“Our thoughts are with the crew member, their family, and all those impacted by this situation. We are providing support to our onboard team and remain focused on the ongoing search efforts“, Princess Cruises stated to Cruise Hive.
No further details are known at this time. Princess Cruises has confirmed it will provide more details shortly. This is a developing story.
