A 51-year-old man went overboard from a Norwegian cruise ship Thursday during a trip to the Caribbean, and, despite an extensive search, he has not been found.
Norwegian Cruise Line said the man was reported to have fallen off the ship around 3 p.m., while it was sailing from Ocho Rios, Jamaica, to Nassau, Bahamas. The ship, the Norwegian Epic, was about 30 miles east of Long Island, Bahamas when he fell, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
"The authorities were immediately notified, and a search and rescue operation under the guidance and oversight of the Bahamas Rescue Coordination Center went underway," the cruise line said in a statement.
The search was unsuccessful, and the ship was allowed to continue on its journey, according to the cruise line. Norwegian did not share any information on the circumstances of the man's fall or provide additional details about the search.
The Royal Bahamas Defense Force, the lead agency in the search, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. Coast Guard's District Seven launched an airplane crew to assist in the search.
"At this time there have been no further requests from the RBDF for Coast Guard assistance in the search," District Seven Petty Officer Eric Rodriguez told NBC News over email.
It's not clear if the search for the man will be resumed.
The man, who has not been publicly identified, was traveling with a large group of people, including relatives, who Norwegian said were receiving support.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones during this difficult time," Norwegian Cruise Line said.
