A 73-year-old man has died after falling overboard from a cruise ship bound for Victoria Tuesday morning.
The United States Coast Guard Pacific Northwest first said on Twitter around 6:40 a.m. that the Captain of the Seven Seas Mariner confirmed a ship video that showed the 73-year-old man went overboard from the eighth deck of the vessel around 4:15 a.m.
The U.S. Coast Guard says a helicopter crew found and recovered the unresponsive elderly man. He was transferred to local Emergency Medical Service personnel waiting on shore and then to the Olympic Medical Center where he was later pronounced deceased.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim who were affected by this tragedy,” said Capt. M.M. Balding, Sector Puget Sound Commanding Officer in a release.
“Any time we are unable to accomplish our goal of saving lives, we are deeply saddened. Our thoughts are with them in their time of grief.”
Photo courtesy marinetraffic.com/Les Blair.
Although the Coast Guard said early in the search the man had “jumped” off the cruise ship, they updated that post to say they “have no indication of why the individual went overboard”.
**UPDATE** In previous post, the word "jump" was used, however we have NO indication of why the individual went overboard. Investigation will help determine what happened. Again, we have NO CLEAR info on what lead to him going overboard; crews actively searching at this time.
— USCGPacificNorthwest (@USCGPacificNW) July 10, 2018
The ship was off Cape Flattery on the northwest tip of Washington at the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca when the incident occurred.
Multiple Coast Guard crews responding to report of a 73-year-old male who potentially fell overboard from a cruise ship off Cape Flattery, around the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
— USCGPacificNorthwest (@USCGPacificNW) July 10, 2018
Cruise ship captain confirmed that a ship video shows passenger jumping from 8th-deck balcony at 4:15 a.m.#USCG crews currently responding include the crew of the Cutter Wahoo, a boat crew from Station Neah Bay and an aircrew from Air Station Port Angeles/Sector Field Office.
— USCGPacificNorthwest (@USCGPacificNW) July 10, 2018
The coast guard says the man’s wife last saw him around 4 a.m., saying she was woken up around 4:30 a.m. by a breeze coming from the balcony door that was cracked open.
The U.S. Coast Guard had one ship, the Cutter Wahoo from Station Neah Bay, and an air crew from Port Angeles respond.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria assisted with air assets.
The Seven Seas Mariner was scheduled to arrive at Ogden Point at 1:00 p.m., but is now scheduled for an 11 a.m. arrival.
The ship is 216 metres, or 709 feet, in length and carries up to 700 passengers.
The U.S. Coast Guard helicopter involved in the search pictured today (USGC)
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