Cancun, Quintana Roo — A crew member of the Regal Princess cruise ship died after falling overboard near Cancun in the Yucatan Channel, the cruise line confirmed Sunday.
The ship, which departed from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday bound for the Caribbean, turned around to search the area. The Mexican Navy was alerted and launched a search operation, ordering the vessel to remain on site. As a result, the ship’s scheduled arrival at Cozumel was delayed to the afternoon, and the cruise was expected to overnight on the island.
Navy personnel stationed in Isla Mujeres and Cozumel joined the search. The Regal Princess had been scheduled to dock at Cozumel’s pier at 8:00 a.m.
Hours later, Princess Cruises confirmed the crew member had died. The individual’s identity has not been released.
“Our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of the crew member during this difficult time. Grief support services are being offered to guests and crew members affected by this incident,” the company said in a statement.
Princess also thanked local authorities and the crew of the Carnival Jubilee for assisting in search and rescue efforts.
The Regal Princess resumed its voyage and departed waters off Cancun. Its next stop is scheduled for Tuesday in Belize. The seven-day cruise is expected to return to Fort Lauderdale as planned on July 18.
Authorities have not yet released official information about the incident.
