A search lasting more than ten hours has ended after a person went overboard from Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jewel in the early hours of Tuesday, 21st October 2025, during the ship’s transatlantic voyage to Miami.
Guests were awoken around 2 am when the captain announced a “Code Oscar” – the maritime emergency call indicating someone had fallen into the sea.
“We’ve been circling for hours now,” one passenger told media. “The captain confirmed someone had gone overboard, and the ship has been searching ever since.”
The incident occurred roughly seven hours after the ship departed Ponta Delgada in the Azores, its final European port of call.
Norwegian Jewel, which is carrying more than 2,300 guests and 1,000 crew, had set sail from Barcelona on 15th October for a 12-night repositioning cruise to the United States.
Search Efforts at Sea
Tracking data showed the 93,500-ton ship circling off the coast of Portugal for much of the day as crew coordinated with the Portuguese National Maritime Authority. However, with the vessel nearly 190 miles from land and the incident occurring in darkness, the rescue operation proved extremely challenging.
As daylight broke, cargo ships and aircraft joined the search, but by mid-afternoon, Norwegian Jewel had resumed her course towards Miami.
“It was incredibly sobering,” one passenger wrote online. “Everyone on board was quiet and respectful. You could feel the sadness.”
Authorities have not confirmed whether the person who went overboard was a passenger or crew member, and Norwegian Cruise Line has yet to issue an official statement.
Second Incident for Cruise Line in 2025
This is the second man overboard incident involving NCL with an unsuccessful search in just a few months.
In August 2025, a 79-year-old guest went overboard from Norwegian Star while sailing near Newfoundland and Labrador.
Despite immediate rescue efforts, the individual was not found.
In June, a passenger aboard Norwegian Epic fell into the water as the ship departed Catania, Sicily, but survived with minor injuries.
Safety at Sea
While modern cruise ships are equipped with overboard detection technology, surveillance systems, and emergency response drills, such accidents can unfold in seconds.
Industry data suggests that from 2009 to 2019, only around one in five people who fell overboard from cruise ships were rescued.
The tragedy serves as another reminder of how swiftly a cruise holiday can turn from joyful to tragic, even with robust safety procedures in place.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
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