Rescue crews searched late Saturday night for a crew member who fell from the Norwegian Breakaway off the coast of Wellfleet, Massachusetts, after ship cameras showed the man going overboard from an upper deck, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The ship turned around after the fall was seen on camera, and a rescue boat and life rings were deployed at the crew member’s last known position. A Coast Guard helicopter arrived just after 1 a.m. Sunday morning, and crews from the Provincetown station joined the search.
A ship tracker showed the Norwegian Breakaway just off Wellfleet before it made a U-turn and headed back toward the point where the crew member went overboard. Passengers also sent video to WCVB showing two rescue boats near the ship searching the surrounding waters. It was unclear whether the crew member jumped or fell.
Rachel Goodman said she heard the maritime emergency signal for man overboard during the last few songs of a performance. “It was the last couple of songs and they said, ‘Code Oscar,’” she said. “Not a lot of guests know what that means.” Goodman said the captain later asked guests to think of the crew member’s family and friends and to be kind to the staff.
The United States Coast Guard took over the search and rescue operation and released the vessel to continue the voyage. A Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said the company’s “safety, security, and well-being of our crew is our highest priority” and added, “Our thoughts are with the crewmember's family during this difficult time.”
The Norwegian Breakaway had spent the previous week in Bermuda before heading for Boston, where it docked at the Black Falcon Terminal just before noon Sunday. The incident unfolded on a Boston-bound cruise ship off the Massachusetts coast, with the Coast Guard searching while the vessel returned to port after the overboard report.
