Reports have emerged of a person overboard from the world’s biggest cruise ship, the Wonder of the Seas. The vessel was on a revised route just south of Cuba due to Hurricane Idalia when the incident occurred.
The details surrounding the overboard are currently unclear, including the ongoing search operations.
The passengers on the current voyage of the Wonder of the Seas reported an emergency call, “Oscar Oscar Oscar”, on the evening of Tuesday, August 29, 2023, around 9 p.m. Eastern Time. This emergency signal indicates a person overboard.
Following the call, the cruise ship decelerated and retraced its path, dedicating about three hours to search operations. The crew utilized spotlights, small boats, and lookouts during the search. The incident took place approximately 30 miles southeast of Santiago de Cuba on the island’s southern coast.
Official announcements regarding the situation are limited, and it is unknown whether the person overboard is a crew member or a passenger, their age, or the circumstances that caused the incident.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, an unrelated medical emergency on the Wonder of the Seas led to the suspension of the search and the ship hastily heading to Grand Cayman, which was not part of the ship’s planned route.
Online tracking data verifies the ship’s search efforts and the subsequent change in course towards Grand Cayman, with the ship moving at near maximum speed.
Currently, the Wonder of the Seas is on a revised 7-night Western Caribbean cruise that left Port Canaveral on Sunday, August 27. The original plan was for the ship to visit CocoCay, Cozumel, Honduras, and Costa Maya.
However, due to Hurricane Idalia’s impact, the itinerary was changed, with the Honduras stop cancelled and the visit to Cozumel postponed. The Wonder of the Seas was never scheduled to stop at Grand Cayman.
Updates will follow as more information becomes available. Stay tuned.
