passenger who jumped off cruise ship

Authorities Identify Son Who Jumped Off Cruise Ship in Front of Family

Witnesses said he appeared drunk and was fighting with his dad, according to reports.

Josh Fiallo

Breaking News Reporter

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A man who jumped to his death from a Royal Caribbean cruise last week was identified by media outlets Wednesday as Levion Parker, a 20-year-old Floridian who regularly posted about hunting and fishing.

Parker’s body was never found after his fatal leap on Thursday, which sparked a massive U.S. Coast Guard search between Cuba and the Bahamas’ Inagua islands in the eastern Caribbean .

The Broward County Sheriff’s Office identified Parker on Wednesday, the New York Post and Daily Mail reported , just a day after the Coast Guard officially called off their search for the previously unidentified man. Florida deputies did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation from The Daily Beast.

Loved ones reportedly witnessed Parker jump off the 11th deck of the Liberty of the Seas cruise liner in what appeared to be an “impulsive leap,” the Post reported last week, citing a witness.

Bryan Sims, a passenger who claimed he saw the incident unfold, told the paper he’d been hanging out with Parker and his brother in the hot tub.

Sims told the Post that Parker “appeared drunk,” and he spotted him arguing with his dad over the supposed drinking. Moments later, he said Parker leaped into the sea without a trace from an area that housed whirlpools and hot tubs.

“When we got to them, he said to his dad, ‘I’ll fix this right now.’ And he jumped out the window in front of us all,” Sims said.

Deborah Morrison, another passenger, told the Daily Mail that crew were “alerted immediately” by the “yelling” that erupted on deck after Parker’s leap.

In a statement, Royal Caribbean said it immediately halted the ship and dispatched boats to search for Parker, but had no luck. The ship continued on its voyage back to Fort Lauderdale shortly after, leaving the search up to the Coast Guard.

Most of the 4,000 passengers aboard reportedly weren’t alerted to the incident until later that morning, when the ship’s captain made an announcement while many ate breakfast.

Social media accounts for Parker showed that he was an outdoorsman who’d won a fishing tournament just weeks prior to his fatal leap. Posts showed he played football for North Port High School, in southwest Florida, and graduated from there in 2022, reported the Daily Mail .

The paper added that the man’s father, Francel Parker, said the family is consulting lawyers and is planning on putting out a statement.

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Passenger speaks out on what happened moments before man, 20, ‘jumped off’ cruise ship in front of family

The royal caribbean have provided a statement following the devastating incident.

A 20-year-old man went overboard on an 18-story cruise ship, sparking a search and rescue mission.

Reports have stated he ‘jumped off’ Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas in front of his family.

The ship was sailing between Cuba and the Bahamas' Grand Inagua Island and the man is said to have jumped around 4:00 am on Thursday (April 4).

Onlookers state that his father and brother looked on ‘helplessly’.

It is hard to imagine what could have possibly led to the unnamed man leaping from the 15-deck ship.

The tragic news has been further confirmed by passengers, who said it appeared to be an ‘impulsive’ and ‘spur of the moment’ decision.

The Royal Caribbean have given a statement, provided to The NY Post, following the incident. They said : "The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the US Coast Guard, who has taken over the search.

“Our Care Team is providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share.”

There are a number of passengers who were onboard at the time of the tragedy who have recollected the events.

One man, Bryan Sims, said: "I had hung out with him and his brother in the hot tub until 3:30.

"It was standing room only. He sat right beside me the whole time.

“He was pretty drunk.”

Sims then continued: “As we were walking from the hot tub back to the elevators, his dad and brother were walking towards us. His dad was fussing at him for being drunk , I guess.

“When we got to them, he said to his dad, ‘I’ll fix this right now'. And he jumped out the window in front of us all.”

Reflecting on what he witnessed, Sims concluded: "It was insane. It was just surreal.”

A second passenger onboard, Deborah Morrison, added: "There was a lot of yelling, and the crew was alerted immediately.

“ His family was horrified. Just beside themselves. I can’t even begin to imagine what they’re going through.”

While it is impossible to picture the horror on board the Liberty of the Seas, a third passenger has tried to shed some light. Amy Phelps Fouse said: "The early morning was definitely sombre as so many people came out of their cabins to stare at the sea, hoping to be able to aid in finding the person.

“Royal Caribbean has been excellent at communicating updates throughout the day.

“They have asked that people act with compassion in light of the tragic situation.”

LADbible Group contacted Royal Caribbean and the Coast Guard for comment.

Topics:  Cruise Ship , News

Kya is a Journalist at Tyla. She loves covering news, trends, and issues surrounding identity, sex and relationships, and mental health. Contact: [email protected]

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'Drunk' 20-year-old man missing after jumping off a Royal Caribbean cruise ship

• A 20-year-old man on holiday with his family jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise. 
• The man has been missing since jumping overboard in front of his father and brother.
• The US Coast Guard has launched a search operation. 

A 20-year-old man jumped off the Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas cruise on Thursday morning while vacationing with his family.

The passenger, whose identity has not been revealed, jumped overboard at about 4 a.m. and has been missing since.

The US Coast Guard said on X on Thursday that its crews were "searching for a 20-year-old man who went overboard from the Liberty of the Seas cruise ship near The Bahamas.

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson told Business Insider in a statement: "Our Care Team is providing support and assistance to the guest's family during this difficult time."

Passengers on the Liberty of the Seas ship described the tragedy as a "spur-of-the-moment decision."

Passenger Bryan Sims told the New York Post that the missing passenger was "pretty drunk" and that they had hung out in the hot tub until 3:30 a.m.

Sims said that when they left the hot tub, they encountered the drunk passenger's father while approaching the elevators.

"His dad was fussing at him for being drunk," said Sims.

The unidentified passenger reportedly told his father, "I'll fix this right now," and jumped out of the window.

Fellow passengers said his father and brother witnessed the "impulsive" leap.

Deborah Morrison, another passenger on board the cruise, told the Post that "there was a lot of yelling and that the crew was alerted immediately."

"The ship's crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the US Coast Guard, who has taken over the search," the Royal Caribbean spokesperson said.

The US Coast Guard said USCG Cutter Seneca and Air Station Miami HC-144 crews were conducting the search.

The Liberty of the Seas departed from South Florida and was 57 miles from Great Inagua in The Bahamas when the passenger jumped overboard.

The cruise ship has 18 decks and can accommodate 3,634 passengers, served by a crew of about 1,300.

The chances of you falling overboard off a cruise ship are extremely low .

In 2023, About 31 million passengers traveled on a cruise, and about 10 people went overboard, of which two miraculously survived, Business Insider reported .

"Even one incident is one too many," CLIA told Business Insider, explaining that "the vast majority of cases are either reckless behavior or some form of intentional act. People don't just inadvertently fall over the side of a ship."

Last month, a 23-year-old man who felt seasick fell overboard from the MSC Euribia cruise ship while crossing the North Sea in Europe and was presumed dead.

In December, an MSC Cruises passenger jumped from one of its ships while sailing from Europe to South America.

According to a Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) report, only 28.2% of passengers who fell overboard from 2009 to 2019 were successfully rescued.

If you enjoyed this story, be sure to follow Business Insider on Microsoft Start.

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• Human Interest

Man Who Disappeared from Carnival Cruise Ship 'Jumped' Overboard, Officials Say

Security footage from the Carnival Glory showed Tyler Barnett “jumping off the cruise ship,” according to an update from the Coast Guard

Abigail Adams is a Human Interest Writer and Reporter for PEOPLE. She has been working in journalism for seven years.

Gerard Bottino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty

Authorities say the man who recently disappeared from a Carnival cruise ship appeared to have jumped overboard.

Security footage from the Carnival Glory “shows the man jumping off the cruise ship ,” according to a Tuesday night update from the Coast Guard.

The agency has officially identified the missing man as Tyler Barnett of Houma, Louisiana.

A Carnival spokesperson tells PEOPLE that footage appeared to show Barnett jumping from the ship’s Deck 4 around 1:40 a.m. local time on Monday.

“He can be seen climbing on a lifeboat and jumping from there,” the spokesperson said.

Barnett’s mother Elisha Reid told Business Insider that her daughter was previously informed that there was no footage of what happened.

In Carnival's statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson said that on Tuesday, they were "advised of the possibility of him wearing a different shirt, which allowed our security team to change the profile of the guest as we searched onboard video."

"We have informed the U.S. Coast Guard and are providing assistance to the guest’s family that was traveling with him," they added.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Family members previously said Barnett’s passenger card was swiped at the ship’s casino at 12:15 a.m., and his room just before 12:30 a.m., according to CBS affiliate WWL-TV . Carnival crew members began searching for Barnett around 7:30 a.m.

The Coast Guard said watchstanders with its New Orleans sector were alerted to the incident just after 12:30 p.m. on Monday.

So far, crews have searched more than 200 miles of water for the missing passenger, according to the agency. But adverse weather conditions have hampered the search.

"I just want answers, and I'm holding out for hope," Barnett's grandmother Dirlean Tate Mason told NBC News in a story published on Tuesday.

The Coast Guard has since narrowed its search area roughly 30 miles southwest of the Southwest Pass. 

Meanwhile, Carnival Cruise Line said its Care Team “is supporting the missing guest's family on board” the ship, which "arrived today to Montego Bay, Jamaica as planned."

On Facebook, Mason said she and her family are in need of prayers as they await answers. “We are holding on to hope and prayer that he will be found safe,” she wrote. "Our hearts are breaking."

Related Articles

Coast Guard searches for missing man reported overboard on Liberty of the Seas cruise ship

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a 20-year-old man who passengers claim jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that departed from South Florida.

According to the Coast Guard, the man was on the Liberty of the Seas cruise ship Thursday morning when he went overboard 57 miles from Great Inagua in the Bahamas.

#Breaking @USCG crews are searching for a 20-year-old man who went overboard from the Liberty of the Seas cruise ship 57 miles from Great Inagua this morning. USCG Cutter Seneca and Air Station Miami HC-144 crews are conducting the search. #USCG #SAR pic.twitter.com/zZPpKOdyCn — USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) April 4, 2024

Some passengers told the New York Post that the man appeared to be intoxicated when he jumped off the ship.

"As we were walking from the hot tub back to the elevators, his dad and brother were walking towards us," passenger Bryan Sims told the Post. "His dad was fussing at him for being drunk, I guess. When we got to them, he said to his dad, 'I'll fix this right now.' And he jumped out the window in front of us all."

Another passenger told the Post his family appeared "horrified" by what had happened.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Strasburg told WPTV that the search was ongoing Friday morning. He couldn't say whether the man fell or jumped.

"The ship's crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the U.S. Coast Guard, who has taken over the search," Royal Caribbean said in a statement. "Our care team is providing support and assistance to the guest's family during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share."

Strasburg said a Coast Guard cutter and helicopter were searching for the missing man and would continue to do so for as long as there is reasonable evidence to suggest survival.

The Liberty of the Seas was on a four-day cruise that departed from Port Everglades on Monday and returned Friday morning, according to cruise-tracking website CruiseMapper .

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Search suspended for man who fell overboard from Carnival cruise ship near Florida

Ronnie Peale Jr., 35, fell over his balcony railing on Monday, Carnival said.

The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for a Virginia man who fell from a cruise ship balcony earlier this week.

Ronnie Peale Jr., 35, went overboard from a Carnival Magic cruise ship traveling off the coast of Florida on Monday, the Coast Guard said.

After searching more than 5,171 square miles over the course of 60 hours, the Coast Guard said Wednesday night that it has suspended search efforts for Peale.

MORE: Search suspended for 4 people missing after Alaskan charter boat sinks: Coast Guard

"The decision to suspend the active search efforts pending further development is never one we take lightly," Coast Guard District Seven search and rescue mission coordinator Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hooper said in a statement . "We offer our most sincere condolences to Mr. Peale's family and friends."

Carnival Cruise Lines personnel contacted Coast Guard watchstanders at 6:36 p.m. on Monday to report that a passenger had fallen off the ship, which was 186 miles east of Jacksonville, the Coast Guard said.

Peale's companion reported him missing late Monday afternoon and "an initial review of closed circuit security footage confirms that he leaned over the railing of his stateroom balcony and dropped into the water at approximately 4:10 a.m. Monday," Carnival Cruise Line said in a statement to ABC News.

His partner, Jennilyn Blosser, told Richmond ABC affiliate WRIC that the footage showed him leaning over the railing and that it looks like he accidentally fell.

"It's not like he was like jumping, like you know, it wasn't like that at all," Blosser told the station.

MORE: US teen missing after going overboard on sunset cruise in the Bahamas

Blosser said she woke up at 11:30 a.m. that morning and spent hours trying to find Peale. His mother, Linda Peale, told WRIC she knew something was wrong when her son didn't call that day to check in on his dogs.

Peale, from New Hope, Virginia, was on his first cruise and was celebrating Blosser's birthday with her family, Linda Peale said.

She described her son as "full of life" and someone who loved old cars, gardening and cooking.

"My son was a wonderful man," Linda Peale told WRIC.

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Us coast guard no longer searching for 20-year-old who jumped from royal caribbean cruise.

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The United States Coast Guard is no longer searching for a 20-year-old man who jumped overboard on a Royal Caribbean cruise , the military branch reportedly said.

The Coast Guard began scouring the seas last Thursday, but has since called off its unsuccessful search for the unidentified passenger, the Daily Mail reported Tuesday.

The vacation became a tragedy for one family when their loved ones helplessly saw the young man jump over the side of the deck, which some onlookers said appeared to be an impulsive leap.

The 18-story Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas was sailing between Cuba and the Bahamas’ Grand Inagua Island during the shocking moment.

One passenger previously told The Post the man was pretty drunk before jumping and appeared to be bickering with his father.

“As we were walking from the hot tub back to the elevators, his dad and brother were walking towards us. His dad was fussing at him for being drunk, I guess,” Bryan Sims said. “When we got to them, he said to his dad, ‘I’ll fix this right now.’ And he jumped out the window in front of us all.” 

Royal Caribbean said last week its crew quickly began looking for the man along with the Coast Guard before the federal government took over the search. 

The Post has sought comment from the Coast Guard.

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Coast Guard calls off search for Jaylen Hill after he was filmed jumping off Carnival cruise ship

Passenger went missing on sunday, article bookmarked.

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The US Coast Guard has ended its search for a man who jumped from the deck of a Carnival cruise ship.

Surveillance video reportedly captured 30-year-old Jaylen Hill leaping over the railing of the Carnival Elation on Sunday afternoon off the coast of Melbourne, Florida.

On Monday night, Coast Guard officials announced the search had been called off “pending any further developments”.

“We offer our deepest condolences to the Hill family. Our crews take our life saving mission very seriously. Any time we can’t bring a loved one home to their family is a pain we all feel,” Petty Officer Eric Rodriguez said in a statement.

Rescue crews scoured more than 1,374 miles in their search using the 87-foot cutter Tarpon from St Petersburg, a Hercules aircraft from Clearwater, and an Ocean Sentry plane from Miami.

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Carnival previously said the Elation crew was informed by Mr Hill’s travelling companion late on Sunday afternoon that he had not been seen all day.

“Sadly, after an exhaustive on-board search and a review of security camera video it was determined that he jumped,” the company said in a statement to The New York Post .

Carnival added that it alerted officials to the incident and was advised to continue to Jacksonville, Florida, on Monday, the final stop on the cruise’s four-day route through the Bahamas.

The 855-foot Elation weighs nearly 72,000 tons and can carry nearly 2,200 guests, as well as 900 crew members, according to Fox 35 Orlando .

In May, a Carnival passenger named Ronnie Peale went overboard the ship Magic and fell into the waters off Florida.

The Coast Guard was unable to locate the man after searching more than 5,171 miles over 60 hours and called off the search .

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Search and rescue launched after man, 20, 'jumped off' cruise ship in front of family

Royal caribbean's liberty of the seas was sailing between cuba and the bahamas' grand inagua island when the incident occurred..

Poppy Bilderbeck

A 20-year-old man is reported as having 'jumped off' a Royal Caribbean cruise triggering a search and rescue mission.

On Thursday (April 4) at around 4:00am, a young man went overboard on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas as it sailed between Cuba and the Bahamas' Grand Inagua Island .

A search and rescue mission was immediately launched by the cruise line and passengers have since spoken out about the ongoing incident.

A fellow passenger onboard the cruise called Bryan Sims told The Post that he was hanging out with the unnamed man and his brother in the hot tub 'until 3:30am'.

According to Sims, it was 'standing room only' and the passenger - who was allegedly ' pretty drunk' - was 'sat right beside [him] the whole time'.

He continues: "As we were walking from the hot tub back to the elevators, his dad and brother were walking towards us. His dad was fussing at him for being drunk, I guess.

"When we got to them, he said to his dad, 'I’ll fix this right now.' And he jumped out the window in front of us all."

Another passenger Deborah Morrison said the crew were 'alerted immediately' by the 'yelling' which erupted.

And a passenger took to Cruise Critic Community page online to write : "Currently on Liberty, heading back from Puerto Plata. Woke up last night between 2-3 and thought I heard an 'Alpha, Alpha, Alpha'. Learned this morning that it was an 'Oscar, Oscar, Oscar'.

"Other passengers said that the lifeboats had been out around the ship all morning. Later the Captain announced that the Coast Guard was taking over the search.

"At noon the Captain announced that we would be making up time and will probably only be an hour and a half late getting back to Ft. Lauderdale , we should be docking around 7:30 AM.

"My thoughts go out to all affected by this sad situation."

Morrison added the unnamed man's family appeared 'horrified' and were 'beside themselves'.

Sims similarly describes the experience as 'just surreal'.

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson told the Post: "The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the US Coast Guard, who has taken over the search."

And when other guests onboard the ship woke up, many offered to help, with passenger Amy Phelps Fouse saying: "The early morning was definitely somber as so many people came out of their cabins to stare at the sea, hoping to be able to aid in finding the person."

She added: "Royal Caribbean has been excellent at communicating updates throughout the day. They have asked that people act with compassion in light of the tragic situation."

The Royal Caribbean spokesperson added: "Our Care Team is providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share."

The search and rescue mission is reported as taking place in the sea around Cuba.

The US Coast Guard confirmed to The Post that the mission is ongoing as the man has yet to be discovered.

UNILAD has contacted Royal Caribbean and the Coast Guard for comment.

Topics:  Mental Health , Royal Caribbean , Travel , World News , Health

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.

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• Cruise News

Passenger Missing After Intentionally Jumping Off Cruise Ship This Weekend

Doug Parker

• December 31, 2023

During a cruise to Rio de Janeiro for New Year’s Eve, a man intentionally jumping overboard.

First reported by the website Cruise Law News , the incident occurred around midnight local time onboard the MSC Preziosa, cancelling a show that was about to take place.

The ship’s crew initiated standard emergency procedures , launching two rescue crafts and alerting the Brazilian Coast Guard.

Cruise Line Speaks

Despite extensive search efforts, the passenger was not found. To maintain privacy, the details of the passenger and the circumstances of the incident were not disclosed.

Details from Onboard

In light of the man overboard, the ship’s management decided to cancel a scheduled performance by Alexandre Pires, a well-known musician. This decision was made out of respect for the missing passenger and the ongoing search efforts.

A Brazilian Instagram influencer, that goes by the moniker FGNICO, was onboard and posted the man overboard announcement to his account .

This incident is the third of its kind on an MSC cruise ship within the last 45 days. A crew member jumped off MSC Seascape last month. Earlier this month a North American man jumped off MSC Armonia during a repositioning cruise to South America.

On Christmas Eve a passenger jumped off Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas. This latest incident marks the 17th man overboard for the cruise industry in 2023.

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Carnival cruise passenger seen in video moments before reportedly jumping off ship

The coast guard suspended its 14-hour search thursday evening.

FOX Business Headlines 2/18

Here are your FOX Business headlines. 

A Carnival cruise ship passenger was caught on camera struggling with security moments before she reportedly jumped overboard into the Gulf of Mexico. 

In the cell phone video obtained by FOX 8, the woman, 32, is seen being pulled to her feet by security guards on the deck of the Carnival Valor ship on Wednesday. 

The ship was on a five-day cruise to Mexico that departed Saturday, Carnival told FOX Business. 

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The woman is then seen struggling as the guards try and hold her arms behind her back. At one point, the woman can be heard screaming "Alicia" before being escorted away by security. 

The clip cuts off and then shows passengers rushing to the edge of the ship looking over the balcony after the woman had reportedly already jumped into the water. Crew members were also seen rushing to the side with life preservers. 

Carnival told FOX Business that the passenger was never in handcuffs at any point during the incident. 

US Coast Guard responds to reports of cruise ship passenger overboard in Gulf of Mexico (WVUE-DT)

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Other passengers posted videos to Twitter moments after the woman allegedly jumped, with one showing a life preserver floating in the water nearby. 

Carnival previously told Fox News that it received reports about a female guest who jumped overboard from her balcony while the ship was at sea. 

A company spokesperson said the ship’s command immediately began search and rescue procedures and returned to the area near where the incident occurred and notified the U.S. Coast Guard. 

"Carnival’s CARE team is providing support to the guest’s husband who was traveling with her," the spokesperson said. 

US COAST GUARD RESPONDS TO REPORTS OF CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER OVERBOARD IN GULF OF MEXICO

However, after 14 hours of searching, the Coast Guard announced that it suspended its mission. 

After getting the call Wednesday, U.S. Coast Guard District 8 began searching for the passenger approximately 150 miles offshore SouthWest Pass. 

Crews canvassed more than 2,514 square nautical miles off the coast of Louisiana. 

"The decision to suspend a search-and-rescue case is never one we come to lightly," said Chief Warrant Officer Tricia Eldredge, Command Duty Officer at Sector New Orleans. "We offer our deepest sympathies to the family during this difficult time."

The ship arrived back its home port of New Orleans on Thursday morning, Carnival said. 

FOX News' Bradford Betz contributed to this report. 

Eight passengers stranded on African island after Norwegian cruise ship left without them

A dream cruise vacation has turned into a nightmare for eight passengers left stranded on the African island of São Tomé and Príncipe after their ship left without them because they were late to return from a private tour.

The tourists — six from the U.S. and two from Australia — were aboard the Norwegian Dawn, a Norwegian cruise line ship , which departed from Cape Town, South Africa, on March 20 for a 21-day voyage up the coast of Africa set to end in Barcelona, Spain, on April 10.

But on Wednesday, the group of eight tourists was late to return to the ship by more than an hour for the all-aboard time of 3 p.m. from a private excursion on the island, which was not organized by the cruise line.

Jay and Jill Campbell of South Carolina were part of the group that was left behind.

They said that their tour’s operator notified the cruise captain that they were going to be late to rejoin the ship and that the local Coast Guard tried to get them on the vessel but that they weren’t allowed to board.

As a result, the couple and the rest of the group have been stranded for days on the island off Nigeria, grappling with language, currency issues and complicated travel to catch up with the ship.

“The lovely people of São Tomé were very gracious, very hospitable. They had reached out as much as they could to help us find hotels,” Jay Campbell said on NBC's "TODAY" show Tuesday morning.

“We were able to get to a tour agency there to arrange flights to the next port of call. ... Very difficult process — you’re dealing with multiple languages, language barriers, you’re dealing with different currencies ... finding someone that even has dollars ... trying to get an agent to understand where we need to get to.

"It’s one of those ‘You can’t get there from here,’" he added.

A Norwegian spokesperson called the incident a “very unfortunate situation” and said, “Guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time.”

The cruise line said that after the guests failed to return, their passports were delivered to local port agents, in line with protocol. The company said it was working with local authorities to understand “the requirements and visas needed for the guests to reboard the ship at the next available port of call.”

On Monday, the guests had made arrangements to rejoin the ship in Banjul, Gambia, but the ship was unable to safely dock there because of “adverse weather conditions” and “tidal restrictions,” Norwegian said. The guests were then contacted and provided with information to rejoin the ship at Dakar, Senegal, on Tuesday. 

Jill Campbell said they traveled through seven countries in 48 hours to arrive in Senegal on Monday night.

But the couple was reconsidering whether they even wanted to return to the cruise.

"We are considering whether or not we are going to board the ship. It is in dock here in Senegal," she said. "We believe there was a basic duty of care that they had forgotten about, so it does concern us."

"After what we witnessed, we truly believe that although there’s a set of rules or policies that the ship may have followed, they followed those rules too rigidly. I believe that they really forgot that they are people working in the hospitality industry and really the safety and well-being of the customers should be their first priority," she added.

Ultimately, the eight passengers did rejoin the cruise before 8:30 a.m. ET Tuesday in Dakar, Senegal, Norwegian told NBC News in an e-mail Tuesday evening, after this story originally published.

Norwegian said the passengers were responsible for making their own travel arrangements to rejoin the ship.

"Despite the series of unfortunate events outside of our control, we will be reimbursing these eight guests for their travel costs from Banjur, Gambia to Dakar, Senegal," a cruise line spokesperson said in a statement. "We remain in communication with the guests and are providing additional information as it becomes available."

A silver lining of the catastrophe was that the Campbells were able to connect with another Norwegian Dawn passenger — Julia Lenkoff, 80 — who was also left on the island, but for a medical reason.

Lenkoff was on a different day tour Wednesday. She had "medically disembarked" from the cruise to seek local treatment on that day, Norwegian said.

Norwegian said that its care team tried to call Lenkoff several times and was unable to reach her and that it worked with its port agent in São Tomé and Príncipe for updates on her health.

The Campbells met Lenkoff and were able to put her in contact with her family in California, who flew her home — a move Lenkoff's daughter said "saved her life."

"She's a world traveler. She travels all the time. So this was going to be one of her bucket list trips, because she's been to 120 countries so far, and she wanted to get to 130," her daughter, Lana Lenkoff Geis, said in an interview that aired Tuesday on "TODAY."

Norwegian said Lenkoff was escorted on a flight to Lisbon, Portugal, then put in the care of airport staff members to continue her journey back to the U.S., where she has safely returned.

Breaking News Reporter

A group of cruise passengers stranded off the coast of Africa spent 6 days chasing the ship to get back on

• Eight passengers chased their cruise ship around Africa for six days.
• Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed the passengers re-embarked in Senegal on Tuesday.
• They were stranded in São Tomé and Príncipe and missed a chance to re-embark in Gambia.

A group of passengers left stranded on a small African island after missing a boarding deadline finally managed to rejoin their cruise ship on Tuesday after chasing it for almost a week.

On March 27 a private tour overran, causing eight passengers to miss the Norwegian Dawn's 3 p.m. all-aboard time by over an hour, a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed via email to Business Insider.

The passengers found themselves stuck on São Tomé and Príncipe , an island nation of some 220,000 people off West Africa, in what the cruise line called a "very unfortunate situation."

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Despite the efforts of São Tomé and Príncipe Coast Guard to ferry the passengers to the ship in tender boats, the group was unable to reboard and had to turn back to land, according to the ABC affiliate WPDE.

The first attempt to get the guests back on the ship occurred on Monday, when they hoped to re-embark at a port in Banjul, Gambia, some 1,800 miles from São Tomé and Príncipe.

However, "adverse weather conditions, as well as tidal restrictions" meant that the ship could not dock safely, a spokesperson for the cruise line said.

As a result, the guests had to chase the ship to Dakar, Senegal — a distance of some 100 miles further — for another attempt to re-embark on Tuesday.

Norwegian said it helped the passengers by facilitating their visas, and would pay them back for the trip from Gambia to Senegal.

Jill Campbell, one of the passengers, told NBC News that she and her husband traveled through seven countries in 48 hours to catch up with the ship.

It wasn't clear exactly what route they took.

The couple had considered not rejoining the ship, believing that Norwegian Cruise Line had fallen short in a '"basic duty of care," Campbell told NBC News.

But, six days after being left behind in São Tomé and Príncipe, the cruise line confirmed the eight passengers, including the Campbells, finally re-embarked in Senegal on Tuesday.

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