cruise ship missing boy

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

Cameron Robbins, 18, went overboard while on a sunset cruise Wednesday night.

A recent high school graduate from Louisiana is missing after going overboard while on a trip to the Bahamas, school officials and the United States Coast Guard said.

Cameron Robbins, who attended University Laboratory School in Baton Rouge, was on a trip with a group of students when he went overboard on Wednesday night, according to school officials.

The incident occurred around 9:40 p.m. local time near the area of Athol Island, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

The 18-year-old "reportedly jumped from a pleasure vessel," the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement.

The U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday that it was assisting with search efforts for a missing U.S. citizen "believed to have fallen overboard from a sunset cruise near Nassau" on Wednesday. A Coast Guard spokesperson confirmed to ABC News that the search was for Robbins.

The teen fell off the Blackbeard's Revenge sunset cruise ship, the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard provided air assistance in the search and rescue mission, which was being led by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, according to Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Estrada. But on Friday evening, the Coast Guard was informed by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force that they were suspending the "active search efforts" for Robbins "pending further developments" and were no longer requesting assistance from the Coast Guard after notifying Robbins family, according to Lt. Cmdr. John W. Beal.

"We offer our sincerest condolences to Cameron Robbins’ family and friends," Beal said in a statement.

The Coast Guard said Saturday its crews searched more than 325 square miles before concluding its search efforts.

MORE: American tourist attacked by shark in Turks and Caicos, police say

The Bahamas vacation was not a school-sanctioned trip but included students from several high schools in the area, including between 10 and 15 students from the Laboratory School, the school's director, Kevin George, told ABC Baton Rouge affiliate WBRZ in an interview on Thursday.

The school just held its graduation on Sunday.

George described Robbins as a "great kid" and athlete who had been with the school for 13 years, since the start of his education.

"Just one of those kids that you're so proud of once they cross the stage," George told WBRZ.

Students held a prayer circle for Robbins on Thursday morning following news that he was reported missing, holding hands outside the Laboratory School, located on the main campus of Louisiana State University.

"It's a tight-knit family," George said. "The kids reached out to us wanting to know, could they do a prayer circle. Obviously we agreed. We really appreciated their leadership in this trying time."

MORE: Carnival cruise passenger who went overboard was 'dead set' on surviving

Robbins has a sister who is a junior at the school, according to George, who said he spoke to their father on Thursday morning.

"It's just a really emotional time for us right now," George said. "Just trying to send up our prayers and give our support."

"Let's continue to pray and pray that we find Cameron safe and sound," he added.

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Coast Guard ends search for missing Louisiana teen who fell overboard in the Bahamas

The U.S. Coast Guard has ended their search for a Louisiana teenager who fell overboard from a sunset cruise in the Bahamas on Wednesday night.

Cameron Robbins, 18, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was staying at the Atlantis Paradise resort in Nassau with other teenagers to celebrate their recent high school graduation, WBRZ reported. Robbins had just graduated from University Lab School a few days earlier.

The group landed in the Bahamas on Wednesday and later went on a pirate-themed sunset cruise with a company called Blackbeard’s Revenge. According to a news release , Royal Bahamas Defence Force personnel contacted Coast Guard District Seven watchstanders on Wednesday at 11:30 p.m. and reported that a man fell off the Blackbeard's Revenge sunset cruise ship and entered the water.

The ship was near Athol Island an uninhabited island located northeast of Nassau, according to WBRZ. Videos show Robbins jumping from the boat and swimming with a life preserver nearby. 

The Royal Bahamas Police Force is investigating claims that Robbins jumped overboard as part of a dare, according to WBRZ. 

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The boat stayed in the area that night for hours after the incident as people looked for Robbins.

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The Coast Guard assisted the Royal Bahamas Defence Force in search efforts by deploying aircrews.

The agency announced it was concluding its search on Friday evening after covering over 325 square miles.

"We were informed by the RBDF this evening that they were suspending the active search efforts pending further developments, and were not requesting further Coast Guard assistance after notifying the Robbins family," said Lieutenant Commander Matthew Spado, Coast Guard liaison officer to the Bahamas, in a statement. 

"We offer our sincerest condolences to Cameron Robbins’ family and friends," Spado added.

The family of Robbins flew out to the Bahamas on Thursday, WAFB reported.

"The Bahamas government has called off the rescue for Cameron and we are returning to Baton Rouge," the family said in a statement. "We want to thank the Bahamas government, the US Coast Guard, the United Cajun Navy, and Congressman Garrett Graves for everything they have done for us. In this time of grief, we thank our family, friends, and well-wishers for granting us the privacy we need to properly remember our son and mourn his loss."

Going overboard on a cruise is a rare occurrence, according to experts. Between 2009 and 2019, 212 overboard incidents were reported worldwide. Of those, only 48 were rescued. Typically, tall railings help prevent accidents. 

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected]

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Parents of Cameron Robbins break silence after US teenager jumped off Bahamas cruise ship into shark-infested waters

The grieving parents of Cameron Robbins have broken their silence after the 18-year-old jumped off a booze cruise ship into shark-infested waters and vanished.

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Cameron Robbins’ parents said they “appreciate” the outpouring of support for their missing son Saturday, the day before a memorial for the 18-year-old who was tragically lost at sea in “shark-infested” waters late last month.

William and Shari Robbins, both 54, have been inundated with calls since Cameron jumped off a pirate-themed booze cruise ship in the Bahamas on a dare on May 24, they told The Post from their home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

But the couple were sweet and cordial talking about their son, a recent high school graduate and popular baseball star described as both “funny and kind-hearted” and “intense and driven.”

“We are just mourning our son right now,” Shari Robbins told The Post. “We appreciate you calling. Maybe we will be able to talk more later.”

William Robbins added, “We appreciate everyone’s support.”

The family wrote a lovingly detailed obituary for Cameron, whom they adopted shortly after his birth in Abilene, Texas.

“Cameron Crossley Robbins was a beloved grandson, son, brother and friend. He was lost at sea after being reported missing off the coast of Athol Island in the Bahamas on the evening of May 24,” they wrote.

Robbins played sports starting at the pre-school level, and “eventually chose baseball as his first love” and was a three-year varsity letterman in high school.

“He was a tough player, battling back from multiple injuries, known to pitch through separated shoulders and broken hands,” the obituary states.

Robbins also “loved his truck and country music” and was “a big star” in the shower and with karaoke machines. The teen also frequently did late-night raids in their pantry, “where he consumed large quantities of Fruity Pebbles and popcorn.”

A memorial service for the teen has been scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Broadmoor United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge. In addition to his parents, he is survived by his brother and sister, Cole and Cassie, and two grandmothers who he was very close to — as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be sent to the Christian Homes & Family Services in Abilene.

Robbins, who had graduated May 21 from University Lab School in Baton Rouge, apparently jumped overboard on a dare from Blackbeard’s Revenge, a pirate ship-style vessel.

He had just returned from a weekend fishing trip on the Louisiana Gulf Coast with his father and brother before he left for the ill-fated graduation celebration with his friends in the Bahamas.

Robbins was last seen late May 24 in the waters off Athol Island.

Haunting video footage shows the teen swimming away from a rescue buoy as onlookers shout for him to grab the device.

Online viewers have speculated they could see flashes of shark-like sea creatures, including a “fin,” in the video and Robbins was trying to get away from it.

In the video of the last moments Robbins is seen, someone can be heard yelling, “This kid f–king jumped off! Oh my f–king God! Oh, shut the f–k up! Oh, bye, bye!”

A second later, he disappeared under the surface.

The US Coast Guard, the United Cajun Navy and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force all searched the murky waters for the next two days.

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Robbins’ family had joined searchers in the Bahamas before returning to the US Sunday, officials said.

They covered over 325 square miles with no success before calling off the search on May 26 as they had found no trace of the recent grad.

This story originally appeared on The NY Post and is republished here with permission

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Teens tried to stop Cameron Robbins before he jumped off Bahamas cruise, passenger's parent says

The recent high school graduate from baton rouge, louisiana, disappeared in 'shark-infested waters'.

Video of Cameron Robbins in the water after he went overboard on a Bahamas cruise

Cameron Robbins, a Louisiana resident, was celebrating his high school graduation when he was reportedly dared to jump overboard on a cruise.

EXCLUSIVE: A group of students tried to physically stop Cameron Robbins from jumping off a Bahamas cruise ship last week after he was reportedly dared to take the leap, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Robbins, 18, was on Blackbeard's Revenge sunset cruise with several hundred high school graduates from Baton Rouge, Louisiana , and jumped overboard into what authorities called "shark-infested" waters near the uninhabited Athol Island, northeast of Nassau, around 9:30 p.m. on May 24. 

A woman whose son was friends with Robbins and on the boat at the time told Fox News Digital that several students tried to grab Robbins before he took the plunge, but he broke free.

The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said many of the students were part of a close-knit community that was in shock, disbelief, exhausted and cold as the U.S. Coast Guard , Royal Bahamas Defence Force and United Cajun Navy searched the waters until about 3 a.m. 

HAUNTING LAST WORDS SHOUTED TO BATON ROUGE TEEN AFTER HE WENT OVERBOARD AND VANISHED

Cameron Robbins' last Instagram post from his graduation. (Instagram/Cam_Robbins3)

The small, pirate-lookalike cruise ship was anchored throughout the night, and the students were stuck at sea near the uninhabited island in what Royal Bahamas Defense Force Commodore Raymond King called "shark-infested waters."

Experts have told Fox News Digital there is a vast array of marine life, including dolphins, tiger sharks and bull sharks in those waters that feed off the scraps from the boats. 

BATON ROUGE TEEN STILL MISSING AT SEA AMID SPECULATION ABOUT ‘SHARK-INFESTED’ WATERS

A bag holding baseball equipment hangs outside the home of Cameron Robbins in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Thursday. Robbins, a recent high school graduate and baseball player, went missing after going overboard while on a celebratory cruise in the Bahamas last week, according to reports. (KAR/Mega for Fox News Digital )

"This was a booze cruise, and they were on their way back when this happened," the one student's mother said. "My son texted me when it happened, saying, ‘Cameron jumped off. They can’t find him.' They were out there until 2, 3 in the morning. 

"It was terrible weather that night. The kids were cold, wet and traumatized. The girls were in bikinis and bathing suits. The guys were giving them their shirts. It was a bad time to bring drunk 18-year-olds out into waters near this island where there's nothing."

WATCH THE VIRAL CELLPHONE VIDEO

Cameron Robbins, 18, went overboard during a cruise in the Bahamas while celebrating his high school graduation. (Drew Sutton/Facebook )

The two-day, 325-mile search for Robbins was called off Friday night. "We offer our sincerest condolences to Cameron Robbins’ family and friends," the U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement.

The viral cellphone video of Robbins in the water, which was seen over 10 million times, went through virtually every type of edit on social media after a speculation-fueled narrative that Robbins encountered a shark gripped people's curiosities. 

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General view of the Louisiana State University Laboratory School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Thursday. Cameron Robbins, a recent graduate of the school, went missing after going overboard while on a celebratory cruise in the Bahamas last week, according to reports. (KAR/Mega for Fox News Digital )

The video appears to show a shadowy object in the water move toward the recent high school grad, who was swimming toward a life preserver before changing direction. 

However, the cellphone footage is too dark and chaotic to definitively show what happened, and the theory is no longer officially being investigated at the request of Robbins' family, Brian Trascher, spokesperson for the United Cajun Navy, told Fox News Digital on Friday. 

A shadowy object, which people on social media speculated could be a shark, appears to move toward Cameron Robbins after he reportedly jumped overboard from a Bahamas cruise. (Twitter)

Cameron Robbins, right. (Instagram/Cam_Robbins3)

"None of the experts consulted can definitely say what's in the video due to the quality and length of the video," Trascher said. "The Robbins family has requested that we not entertain that theory any longer, so our official position is that we don't know what happened while Cam was in the water."

Authorities officially designated Robbins as "lost at sea," which is the same as a death certificate, and a memorial service for Robbins will be held Sunday at Broadmoor United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge.

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The cruise was not sanctioned by University Laboratory School, where Robbins had just graduated. It was planned by an independent company called GradWeek , which released the following statement to the media last week:

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Robbins Family during this incredibly difficult time. Out of respect for the Robbins family’s privacy, we feel it’s inappropriate to comment on the details surrounding the night of the incident. 

"Bahamian Authorities have been conducting a thorough investigation of the incident and can provide the most accurate information once they have completed their investigation."

WATCH BRIAN TRASCHER'S TUESDAY INTERVIEW ON "AMERICA'S NEWSROOM"

The high school baseball standout graduated from Baton Rouge's U-High on May 21, and his last posts on Instagram include pictures of him surrounded by his family and friends. 

Kevin George, the director of the school, told local news outlet WBRZ that Robbins was a "special kid."

He has "been here throughout his entire educational career. He's an athlete, great kid, great smile, great head of hair. Just one of the kids you're so proud of when they cross the stage," George said.

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Sunday's memorial service will begin at 4 p.m., with visitation hours between 2 and 4 p.m.

In lieu of services, a donation in Robbins' name may be made to Christian Homes & Family Services in Abilene, Texas.

Chris Eberhart is a crime and US news reporter for Fox News Digital. Email tips to [email protected] or on Twitter @ChrisEberhart48.

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Cameron Robbins Video With Possible Shark in Water Viewed 10m Times

A video has begun circulating on social media that allegedly shows missing U.S. citizen 18-year-old Cameron Robbins attacked by a shark in the Bahamas.

The video , which has so far been viewed more than 10 million times on Twitter , is being scrutinized, with some indicating the video allegedly shows the exact moment Robbins is pulled underneath the water by a shark after jumping off a cruise ship near Nassau, Bahamas.

The incident happened on Wednesday, May 24 and at around 11:30 P.M. Robbins reportedly jumped off the Blackbeard's Revenge sunset cruise ship.

A search party was was initially launched but on May 27, the United States Coast Guard, who had been assisting the Royal Bahamas Defence Force in the search, confirmed that the search had been concluded.

In the video, other guests upon the cruise ship can be heard swearing and eventually panicking as the footage allegedly shows Robbins getting pulled underneath the water.

"This kid f****** jumped off. Oh my f****** God. Oh, bye! Oh, s***," one man can be heard saying in the clip.

At one point, the person in the water appears to turn and swim in the opposite direction of the lifesaver ring that was thrown overboard.

People on the cruise ship begin to shout and call for the man to go to the lifesaver, only for someone to remark that the man is no longer visible.

While not confirmed by the United States Coast Guard press release, Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Raymond King spoke to the media during the days of the search about the possibility of a shark attack.

King said: "I have a patrol unit, as they patrol that area they will continue to look for possible remains.

"The possibility of survival decreases significantly, particularly if a person is not adorned with a life vest and particularly if they are perceived to have been intoxicated.

"Your vision, judgment, everything is impaired and I can tell you that area, for the individual who reportedly jumped over, it is an area that is really shark-infested as well.

"I am quite familiar with that area, it is so unfortunate but I don't want the family to lose hope."

He closed by saying: "We have expended a number of days searching diligently, we used drones, we used divers, we used air assets from the coast guard without success in finding him."

The International Shark Attack File, a database of all known shark attacks, shows that only 32 shark attacks have been reported in the Bahamas since 1949. This is the highest figure in the region, with Cuba in second with 13 and Puerto Rico in third with 11.

Newsweek has contacted the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the United States Coast Guard via email for comment.

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Chilling last words shouted at missing teen after he jumped off cruise ship into shark-infested waters

Cameron robbins has been missing since 24 may when he went overboard a cruise ship.

A viral video of a teenager who has gone missing appearing to jump overboard from a cruise ship may contain the last words he heard.

18-year-old Cameron Robbins of Louisiana was celebrating his high school graduation on board the cruise ship in the Bahamas when he was filmed going overboard on 24 May.

In the video of the incident, which has been claimed to be a dare , it shows Cameron in the water after witnesses said he jumped overboard into the water at around 9:40pm local time.

He was last seen paddling around in the water before disappearing from view, with the boat staying in place for several hours in an attempt to find Robbins.

Official search attempts for the 18-year-old were called off on 27 May as the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the US Coast Guard Southeast were unable to locate him in the water.

The video of Cameron in the water has gone viral since his disappearance and some viewers believe they've spotted something moving in the water which could be a shark .

Whatever happened to Cameron, the former University Laboratory School student has not been seen since his fellow passengers on the cruise ship saw him disappear from view shortly after going overboard.

The footage also contains the last words that Cameron may have heard before going missing that night on 24 May.

One person can be heard shouting 'bye bye' to the 18-year-old as he's in the water, as several people on board the cruise ship attempt to get his attention as he swims.

Several others could be heard shouting to him that he's swimming away from a buoy which would have helped keep him afloat in the sea.

Shouts of 'grab the buoy' and 'hey the buoy' attempting to keep Cameron afloat and where they could see him appeared to be in vain as he didn't turn back round to grab the floating object.

He then vanished from the view of the panicked onlookers and has not been seen since, with the water he went into described as 'really shark infested' by Royal Bahamas Defense Force Commodore Raymond King.

Cameron's family released a statement following the announcement that the search for him had been called off.

They said: "The Bahamas government has called off the rescue for Cameron, and we are returning to Baton Rouge.

"We want to thank the Bahamas government, the U.S. Coast Guard, the United Cajun Navy and Congressman Garret Graves for everything they have done for us.

"In this time of grief, we thank our family, friends and well wishers for granting us the privacy we need to properly remember our son and mourn his loss."

Topics:  US News , World News , News

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

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People Who Mysteriously Vanished From Cruise Ships

Cruises are supposed to be happy, carefree moments of maritime bliss; what could go wrong on a vacation on the sea? In reality, there has been a shocking number of cruise ship disappearances , and over 165 people have gone missing since 1995. Cruise ships traverse the vast oceans and often maintain entertainment options into the wee hours of the night, and there's certainly no shortage of libations flowing for those on board. Some passengers have fallen overboard , while other guests have disappeared via more mysterious means.

Investigations into such disappearances can often be inconclusive, as missing passengers are frequently never found. And while security footage can sometimes provide clues, some videos have produced more questions than they have answered. For that reason, the families of many cruise ship victims have written about their tragic experiences in an attempt to increase awareness about cruise ship safety. 

A Mysterious Photo Might Point To What Happened To Amy Lynn Bradley

The disappearance of Amy Lynn Bradley is a very bizarre story. Bradley was a 23-year-old woman from Virginia who went missing while on a Royal Caribbean International cruise with her family in March 1998. On the evening she disappeared, Bradley was at a club on the ship. She shared a drink with members of the house band after their set, then went off on her own at about 1 a.m., according to one of the bandmates . Bradley was later spotted by her father at about 5:30 a.m., and he said she was asleep on the balcony of their cabin. But by 6 a.m., Bradley had vanished. At the time of her disappearance, the ship had been headed from Aruba to Curaçao, Antilles. The ship docked as the search for Bradley began. A pair of tourists claimed to have seen Bradley in Curaçao, saying they recognized her tattoos, yet Bradley remained missing. 

In 1999, a Navy man claimed to have encountered her in a brothel. He said she told him her name and asked for help, saying she was being held captive there. In 2005, someone said they saw Bradley in Barbados. On an episode of Dr. Phil , Bradley's parents said they had been sent a photo of a woman that could have been Bradley via an anonymous sender. In the photo, the woman is scantily dressed, which adds fuel to the theory that Bradley was kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery. 

Rebecca Coriam Was A Disney Cruise Employee Who Vanished At Sea

Rebecca Coriam , 24, was an employee on the Disney Wonder cruise ship. She disappeared on May 22, 2011, as the ship was sailing off the coast of Mexico. She was spotted on surveillance video talking on one of the ship’s internal phones and appeared upset. Another passenger approached her and asked her if she was okay, to which she appeared to say yes. She then hung up and walked away. 

The most common theories are that she was swept overboard while at the crew pool or that she jumped or fell from Deck 5. Yet no theory is particularly compelling, and what truly happened remains a mystery. Others say she was in a turbulent relationship and could have been upset, yet her family states that she would have never willingly gone overboard. Even authorities clash over what really happened to Rebecca Coriam, with some stating it was a simple, yet tragic case of someone slipping overboard and others alleging foul play .

George Allen Smith IV Disappeared On His Honeymoon

George Smith disappeared from the MS Brilliance of the Seas in July 2005. He and his new bride, Jennifer, were on a two-week Mediterranean honeymoon cruise and were headed from Greece to Turkey. It is believed that Smith went overboard, but how that happened is a mystery.

The Smiths had dinner before engaging in a long night of drinking. Both were reported to have been very drunk. The Smiths' on-ship neighbor said he later heard loud talking, an argument, and a thud coming from the Smiths' cabin. Blood was later found on the canopy beneath the cabin, indicating that Smith had fallen or had been pushed. Jennifer was not with Smith when he went missing. She had wandered off elsewhere and passed out in a hallway. She was woken up and led back to her cabin by crew members in the morning, where neither she nor the crew members noticed anything amiss. Jennifer slept three hours before heading to a massage appointment.

She claims to not remember much of the night prior, and to this day, no one admits to knowing what happened to Smith. Some believe he was shoved overboard by men he encountered at the casino, while others believe, in his state of intoxication, he became disoriented and fell.

Fariba Amani Disappeared While On A Cruise With Her Boyfriend

Fariba Amani , a 47-year-old Vancouver, Canada, woman, vanished in February 2012. She was on a Bahamas Celebration cruise with her boyfriend of eight months at the time, 46-year-old Ramiz Golshani. 

Golshani said he last saw Amani at the ship's gift shop at about 1 a.m. before heading to the casino alone. When he returned to their cabin, she was not there, and he went to sleep. In the morning, at about 7 a.m., he awoke and looked for her. After an hour, he told the ship's crew that he could not locate his companion. They, too, searched for Amani, but she was never seen again.

Amani’s sister said that her sister's relationship was troubled and that Amani even once considered hiring a private investigator to see if Golshani was cheating on her. However, there is no concrete evidence to suggest foul play was involved in Golshani's disappearance, and what truly happened to her remains a mystery. 

Russel Terence Rebello Died A Hero

Russel Terence Rebello , 33, died a hero. He was a crew member aboard the Costa Concordia , which smashed into a reef and capsized in January of 2012 off Giglio Island, Italy. A total of 32 people were killed in the wreck, and Rebello stayed aboard to help other passengers get off, giving one of them his lifejacket. 

For months, it was not clear what happened to Rebello. The grim conclusion to the mystery came three years later when Rebello's body was found, still on the ship.

Annette Mizener Won A Cruise, Then Disappeared

Annette Mizener , 37, won a Carnival cruise to the Mexican Riviera in December 2004. She took her parents and her teenage daughter along for the trip. 

On the night of her disappearance, she sang karaoke with her daughter, then hit the casino. Her parents quickly became concerned when Mizener did not show up to play Bingo with them as scheduled later that evening. 

Mizener's purse was discovered on one of the ship's lower decks, near a railing, leading many to believe she somehow fell or was pushed overboard. Yet an extensive search conducted by the Coast Guard and the Navy failed to find any trace of Mizener, and the FBI's investigation was inconclusive. The only camera that might have caught what happened was blocked by a map of the ship.

Merrian Carver Disappeared On An Alaskan Cruise

Merrian Carver, 40, disappeared from a Celebrity Cruises ship in August 2004. 

Carver had gone on the trip alone and disappeared on only the second day of a seven-day Alaskan tour. Though one of the crew members reported that Carver seemed to be missing, the ship failed to respond. When they found Carver's belongings still in her cabin after the cruise had ended, they simply donated them to charity. They never reported her disappearance to police. It was Carver's family who filed a missing persons report after not hearing from her for days. They were not even aware at the time of the filing that Carver had gone on a cruise. 

Royal Caribbean, who owns Celebrity Cruises, ruled the disappearance a suicide, but without a proper investigation, Carver's family will never know. 

Hue Pham And Hue Tran Vanished While Celebrating Their 50th Anniversary

Hue Pham, 70, and Hue Tran, 65, went missing while on a Carnival Cruise ship heading from Barbados to Aruba in May 2005. The couple had gone on the cruise to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. They were traveling with their daughter and granddaughter. 

The couple vanished from the ship, leaving behind only their shoes as a clue, which were found on the ship's deck. Though some have speculated the couple committed suicide, their son , Michael Pham, doesn't buy it. He said they were happy and had been planning a trip to Vietnam to see relatives. 

Micki Kanesaki Was Allegedly Murdered By Her Ex

A convoluted case surrounded the alleged murder of Micki Kanesaki , 52, who disappeared from a Mediterranean cruise in 2006. Kanesaki went on the cruise with her ex-husband, California lawyer Lonnie Kocontes, 48. At about 1 a.m., ship officials say she left her cabin to fetch a cup of tea. Her ex later woke up to find her missing. 

Kanesaki's body was discovered days later on the shores of Calabria. Kocontes indicated that Kanesaki, who had been his second wife, may have been suicidal, though her family refuted those claims. For years, Kanesaki's case went unsolved. Kocontes remarried a third, then a fourth time. 

In 2013, Kocontes was arrested for Kanesaki's murder. Prosecutors alleged that he had strangled her and tossed her overboard. Kocontes's third wife, who had testified on his behalf during initial investigations in 2006, did a 180 in 2013, telling officials that Kocontes had killed Kanesaki. His motive, prosecutors allege, had been to inherit Kanesaki's estate. 

Christopher Caldwell Disappeared While On A Trip With His Betrothed

Christopher Caldwell, 36, disappeared from a Carnival Cruise ship headed from Miami, FL, to Cozumel, Mexico, in July  2004. Caldwell had gone on the cruise with his betrothed.

According to a letter written by Caldwell's family as posted on International Cruise Victims, Caldwell and his fiancée had dinner and drinks before his fiancée decided to turn in, and Caldwell decided to visit the ship casino alone. When Caldwell's fiancée awoke in the morning, she found that Caldwell had never returned. 

Caldwell was last spotted on the ship's deck. The bartender who saw him said he seemed extremely intoxicated. No one knows what happened next, though it is suspected that Caldwell toppled overboard. 

John Halford Vanished On The Last Day Of His Cruise

John Halford , 63, disappeared from the ship Thomson Spirit while on an Egyptian cruise in April 2011. 

He disappeared on the last day of the cruise before the ship would dock. He was slated to see his wife the following day at the airport when he returned home to Milton Keynes, England. He sent her a text message, then ate dinner and went for drinks at a bar on the ship's upper deck. He was last seen at about 12:30 a.m. His bags were packed, and his glasses, phone, and passport were found in his room. 

Though Halford was last spotted drinking, no one who interacted with him thought he was drunk, and his wife said he gave no indication of being suicidal. No one knows what happened to him, whether he fell overboard or something else. 

In the middle of the ocean, no one can hear you scream.

Charleston, SC (29403)

A mix of clouds and sun. High 71F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph..

A few passing clouds. Low 63F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph.

Updated: April 26, 2024 @ 2:27 pm

• Full Forecast

Members of a search brigade in Cozumel, Mexico, continue searching for missing Charleston man Brad Solomon on April 18, 2024.

• Informacion Cozumel/Provided
• Copy article link

A "lost" flyer for  Edmond Bradley Solomon III of Charleston distributed by Mexican authorities. Solomon has been missing in Cozumel since April 3, 2024.

• Quintana Roo (Mexico) Attorney General/Provided

Search efforts continue in Cozumel, Mexico, for missing Charleston native Brad Solomon.

• Rafael Tenorio Pizano/Provided

Cozumel authorities released images from surveillance cameras that captured Brad Solomon walking on April 3, 2024, the last day he was seen on the Mexican island.

The ongoing search for Brad Solomon, who has been missing in Mexico since April 3, remains focused on remote areas of Cozumel, the island in the Caribbean Sea where he disembarked from a cruise ship and has not been seen since.

A Charleston man has been missing in Mexico for 3 weeks. Here are the latest details.

• By Jason Cato and Valerie Nava [email protected], [email protected]
• Apr 24, 2024

Three weeks have passed since Charleston native Brad Solomon was officially last seen in Cozumel, Mexico, after wandering off from a market and possibly into the jungle . 

Solomon, 66, has dementia.

"(G)iven these circumstances, Solomon might have taken some wrong decisions that led him to get deeper and deeper into the jungle and get lost," said Rafael Tenorio Pizano, who is in charge of the search operation as the Citizen Protection director in Cozumel. 

‘Lost in the jungle’: Mexican authorities consider Charleston man missing, not dead

• [email protected] [email protected]

Edmond Bradley Solomon III was last seen April 3 after he and his wife, Mimi, disembarked from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. They were on a seven-day vacation, intended to be their last, as his conditions had worsened from behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, a neurodegenerative disorder. Solomon was diagnosed in 2022.

The couple stopped to use restrooms at a shopping area near Cozumel’s cruise terminal. The belief is that Solomon exited first and went in search of his wife when he didn’t immediately spot her.

An estimated 2 million people annually visit Cozumel, an island in the Caribbean Sea that is roughly 30 miles long by 10 miles wide. Few, if any, of those tourists go missing, Pizano said.

"There have been isolated cases of missing persons, but none of them like Brad’s," he said. "We have search protocols in place during the first 72 hours, and the search is ongoing until authorities order that the search be interrupted. The investigation file for this case is still open, and we keep searching for Brad .”

Mexican authorities involved in the searches have included firefighters, paramedics, police, public security and personnel from the National Guard, Citizen Security, Secretary of the Navy and Civil Protection.

Locals are also assisting. Members of Solomon's family contributed to those efforts for some time, but they have since returned to the United States , Pizano said.

"There is only a group of community volunteers that keep searching for him whenever it’s possible for them," he said.

Search for Charleston man missing in Mexico turns to recovery as 66-year-old presumed dead

• By Kailey Cota [email protected]

Today's Top Headlines

What went wrong at high water festival 2024, editorial: the best answer to charleston's worsening congestion isn't more roads — or bridges, melty restaurants set to open in aiken towne park, north augusta this summer, breeze airways announces 3 new routes from myrtle beach international airport, fate of college lodge sealed: cofc gets ok to demolish the empty motel-turned-dormitory, concert countdown: 18 may concerts to catch in charleston, liv golf impact on pga tour evident at heritage, a man defended himself on a murder charge and lost. here's how the prosecutors beat him, usc students arrested after leaving anti-war gaza protest on campus.

Undated street video of Edmond Bradley "Brad" Solomon III, in Cozumel

The only other missing person case in Cozumel similar to that of Solomon came decades ago. In 1993, a Missouri man went missing in the Cozumel jungle before walking out alive after 19 days.

"To be honest, I don’t have any registry of the methods used in 1993, but today we do count with the participation of all authorities and the civil population," Pizano said.

Shortly after Solomon's wife reported him missing, authorities searched surveillance camera footage and found recordings of him walking down various streets in and around San Miguel, the main commercial center near the cruise terminal. He was wearing a hat, light-colored shirt, shorts and sneakers. A lanyard hung around his neck, and he wore what appeared to be a watch.

A cab driver told authorities that a man matching Solomon’s description approached him that day and asked for a ride to Isla de la Pasion, a popular beach area on the north edge of Cozumel and not far from San Miguel. When the man didn’t have money, the cabbie said he paid with his watch.

The cabbie's account was verified, "but again, this was on the same day he went missing," Pizano said. "The watch was recovered by his wife with the help of the local police department, and it was given to her in her own hands."

There also had been an earlier report of Solomon getting a ride back to town in a van. That report also came on April 3, Pizano said.

Searches continue of Cozumel city, jungles, beaches, 'ghost town' to find Charleston man

• By Jason Cato and Valerie Nava [email protected] [email protected]

"Indeed, a fishermen van took him to a cruise dock, though upon checking surveillance 911 cameras, authorities realized Solomon never entered the dock," he said. "No cameras have been able to catch him in the island, which is where the hypothesis of him being lost in the jungle is the one being worked with.

"There have been no further sightings of Solomon since the last time he was seen the day he went missing."

There were some reported sightings, but Pizano said they "were only assumptions," without any real support or verification.

Charleston man remains missing in Mexico. Family, locals continue search into second week.

• By Eva Herscowitz [email protected]

• Author email

Valerie Nava

Education Lab and Charleston County School District reporter at the Post and Courier.

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Teen passenger who fell overboard from world’s largest cruise ship is identified as search continues

Sigmund ropich, 19, was named as the passenger who went overboard from the wonder of the seas last week, article bookmarked.

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The passenger who went overboard on the largest cruise ship in the world has been named as 19-year-old Sigmund Ropich.

Mr Ropich, a college student, was identified by his sister Savannah Ropich, who said she had been in contact with the US Embassy in Cuba.

Mr Ropich went overboard from Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas before 9pm on 29 August during the second day of a seven-day trip sailing from Port Canaveral in Florida to the Grand Cayman Islands, the cruise company said. He has still not been found almost a week later.

The teen was on holiday on the cruise with his best friends, his co-worker and his co-worker’s family, when the incident happened.

"Sig is a great kid. Never gets in trouble and never caused trouble. Very intelligent, got A’s in Calculus/Physics/Government in high school with no effort. He is a college student as well and works too. He is a kind, reserved and humble kid who also loves to make people laugh. I always call him the ‘Cool, Calm and Collected’ sibling," Ms Ropich told Fox News .

• Passenger on world’s largest cruise ship goes overboard near Florida coast
• ‘You’re going to need a bigger boat’: Inside (and onboard) the unstoppable trend of monster cruise ships
• Indian woman dies after ‘jumping off’ cruise in Singapore Strait

Ms Ropich said that Cuban officials have stopped their search operation in the sea, but have now moved to the coastline and land to continue looking.

“I have a strong feeling they’re going the end this search,” Ms Ropich told Insider.

“We are very hopeful if they open [the] search back in the ocean. We need them to open it again,” Ms Ropich said.

The family of Mr Ropich said they have very few details on his disappearance and search. Royal Caribbean has not informed the family how long the ship’s crew has searched for the missing teenager, his sister said.

The family have been "praying hourly day and night" for Mr Ropich to be found.

Royal Caribbean said it was working with the US Coast Guard on the search for Mr Ropich. However, a spokesperson for the South Florida branch of the US Coast Guard told Business Insider that the Cuban Border Guard is leading the search, because the incident occurred in Cuba’s territorial waters.

The incident was reported at around 9pm ET on 29 August when an “Oscar! Oscar! Oscar!” call, which signifies an overboard emergency, was made, according to industry blog Cruise Hive.

The crew launched a three-hour search in the water using searchlights and smaller boats and the ship turned around to retrace its route.

Passengers on board the 230,000-ton cruise ship Wonder of the Seas said that their original journey had already been diverted due to Hurricane Idalia.

The Wonder of the Seas is a 1,188 feet long ship and enough space to accommodate 7,000 passengers and 2,300 crew members.

At 18 decks high, this vessel is the largest cruise ship in the world. It is unclear whereabouts on the boat Mr Ropich went overboard from.

A woman claiming to be a passenger on the Wonder of the Seas posted on TikTok saying the captain announced video evidence that showed the man jumping overboard. Mr Ropich’s sister spoke against this, saying the woman was spreading misinformation.

“She has no clue what is going on with the whereabouts of my brother and his situation,” Ms Ropich said in a Facebook post.

Since Mr Ropich is an American citizen, the Coast Guard could not conduct an investigation until the Wonder of the Seas docked back in the US on Sunday.

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Breaking news, huge search for 28-year-old man missing off carnival cruise ship in the gulf of mexico.

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A huge search was underway Tuesday for a 28-year-old man reported missing from a Carnival cruise ship during “dangerous weather conditions” battering the Gulf of Mexico.

Tyler Barnett of Houma, Louisiana, was reported missing by a family member from the Carnival Glory on Monday afternoon, a day after it left New Orleans.

The cruise ship’s crew reviewed the boat’s security camera footage and last saw him just after midnight Monday.

After launching two aircraft, the Coast Guard had to temporarily pause the search overnight due to gale-force winds and rough seas.

“We are currently searching a large area of more than 200 miles of the ship’s voyage path due to the uncertainty of the potential time of him falling overboard,” the Coast Guard said as it resumed the search Tuesday.

“Coast Guard issued broadcasts and messages to mariners in the Gulf of Mexico notifying them of the missing passenger,” the agency added.

“Dangerous weather conditions in the search area have negatively impacted our search efforts,” it said, saying that additional search assets will be launched “as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Later Tuesday, an Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry resumed search efforts.

According to the cruise line’s website , the 952-foot-long Carnival Glory ship can hold up to 2,980 passengers and 1,150 crew members.

The cruise ship’s care team is currently supporting the missing man’s family, a spokesperson told The Post.

The Coast Guard is in charge of the search and rescue operations and cleared Carnival Glory to proceed to Montego Bay, Jamaica, as scheduled.

Before docking on Wednesday, the ship is also scheduled to call on Grand Cayman and Cozumel, a Carnival spokesperson said.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Cruise ship rescues migrants on small wooden boat signaling for help

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A massive Carnival cruise ship turned around and rescued more than two dozen Cuban nationals after seeing them signaling from help from a small wooden boat.

The boat was adrift in bad condition with a makeshift sail when crew aboard the Carnival Paradise spotted it about 20 miles west of Cuba on Sunday, reported Fox News .

Cruise crew veered off their route from Tampa, Florida , to Roatan, Honduras, and pulled all 27 Cubans on board at roughly 2.30pm.

The Cubans were all examined by medics on board and provided with food.

Cruise staff notified the US Coast Guar Sector Key West.

Despite the detour, the cruise reached its port at Mahogany Bay in Roatan on time, stated Carnival. The cruise is set to make another stop to Cozumel, Mexico , on Tuesday before returning to Tampa on Thursday.

It was not immediately known if the Cuban nationals stayed or are staying on board until the cruise reaches Florida or whether they disembarked at a port.

Earlier this month, the US Coast Guard spotted another makeshift boat near the Key West shoreline and took in 16 migrants who were repatriated back to Cuba.

‘The Coast Guard’s primary mission is to preserve human life at sea,’ stated Coast Guard Seventh District Lt Matthew Miller. ‘The maritime environment is inherently dangerous. The Coast Guard and our HSTF-SE partners are committed to preventing unsafe voyages at sea and enforcing US immigration laws and regulations.

‘Do not take to the sea.’

The Carnival Paradise incident was not the only out-of-the-ordinary event involving a cruise ship recently.

Last week, a pregnant passenger aboard the Disney Fantasy cruise ship was airlifted by a US Coast Guard helicopter when she began experiencing medical complications. Drone footage showed a Coast Guard crew member being lowered down to the front of the cruise and securing the woman to a rescue basket. She was lifted up and brought into the chopper safely.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

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Carnival Freedom's next two sailings canceled after funnel fire, second within 2 years

A fire in the exhaust funnel of the Carnival Freedom this weekend has disrupted a cruise for the second time in less than two years — and will mean that the Florida-based ship's next two sailings are canceled.

Damage to the funnel will require the cancellation of Carnival's next two cruises out of Port Canaveral, which were scheduled to depart Monday and Friday.

There were about 3,700 passengers onboard the ship when the fire occured. And the two upcoming sailings, which were canceled, likely would have had a similar passenger count amid the busy Spring Break season.

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Carnival initially had said it expected no changes in its upcoming cruises, but on Sunday afternoon said the cancellations would be required.

"Regrettably, the damage is more than we first thought, and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," according to a statement issued by Matt Lupoli, Carnival Cruise Line's senior manager of public relations. "The funnel has been stabilized for the ship’s return to Port Canaveral overnight to disembark guests, and then it will go to the Freeport shipyard on Monday afternoon to begin the required repairs."

Carnival said it made the decision after "our technical team completed a thorough assessment" during the ship’s visit Sunday to Freeport in the Bahamas.

In the statement, Carnival said: "We sincerely regret the impact to our embarking guests, as we know they have been looking forward to their spring break vacation. We are providing all guests on both canceled cruises a full refund and a 100% future cruise credit, so they can come back and enjoy a future cruise with us. We also greatly appreciate the terrific guests who are currently sailing with us, for their outstanding cooperation and support."

In a Facebook post, Carnival's widely followed brand ambassador, John Heald, conceded that many people who booked one of the canceled cruises are "feeling very disappointed," and he apologized for the turn of events.

But, Heald added that he wanted to assure affected passengers that, "when you rebook, using your full refund and your 100% future cruise credit, that the crew will be standing by to give you all the fun you deserve."

More than 500 people responded to the post, with many saying they thought Carnival was generous with the compensation offer. But some people who said they were on the cruise that experienced the fire said they thought Carnival should have done more for the people who were on the ship.

Carnival said the fire was confined to the funnel area. The cruise line said there are no reports of injuries to passengers. Two firefighting crew members were treated for minor smoke inhalation.

Carnival said that, at about 3:15 p.m. Saturday, the Carnival Freedom reported a fire on the port side of the ship’s exhaust funnel. The ship was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island, Bahamas, heading to Freeport after a canceled call to the Carnival private island of Princess Cays due to adverse weather.

"The ship’s fire response team was quickly activated, and the ship’s captain also turned the vessel towards the heavy rain in the area to maximize the efforts to put out the flames," an earlier Carnival statement said. "Eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike, and that is being investigated, but cannot yet be confirmed."

By 5:20 p.m. Saturday, the fire was extinguished. 

How safe are cruise stops? Travel advisories are only one marker for destinations

Carnival said the ship's captain made multiple announcements to passengers and crew, and advised all but essential safety personnel to stay away from balconies and all open decks. 

The port-side portion of the funnel had fallen onto Deck 10, and the firefighting response put out any flames. 

The U.S. Coast Guard has been notified of the fire, and Carnival activated its incident response team to support the ship’s crew. 

Carnival said there were no other operational issues with the ship’s systems, and the ship, which was on a four-night cruise, was visiting Freeport on Sunday.

A cruise ship funnel generally serves as a smokestack to lift emissions above the deck, thus away from passengers and crew.

On Saturday evening, "Carnival Freedom guests enjoyed the Elegant Night dinner as planned, and, with the exception of the open decks, all areas of the ship are fully functioning," Carnival said in its statement. 

The Carnival Freedom's next voyage was scheduled to depart from Port Canaveral on Monday afternoon on a five-night Eastern Caribbean cruise. That cruise had port-of-call stops scheduled at Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic and at Grand Turk Island in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

But that sailing and a Friday sailing both have been canceled. Friday's five-night sailing also was scheduled to stop at those two ports of call, but in reverse order.

In May 2022 , a fire broke out in the funnel area of the Carnival Freedom while it was docked in Grand Turk. Carnival then canceled three scheduled sailings of the Carnival Freedom out of Port Canaveral because of the need to repair the ship's fire damage at a shipyard in Grand Bahama.

More recently, in October 2023, the Carnival Freedom debuted a new iconic winged funnel after returning from a 16-day dry-dock refurbishment in Cadiz, Spain.

Dave Berman is business editor at  FLORIDA TODAY.  Contact Berman at  [email protected] .

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Carnival Freedom's next two sailings canceled after funnel fire, second within 2 years

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Ukraine moves US tanks away from frontlines after 'hunter-killer drone' attacks

Now that a new $61bn programme of funding for Ukraine has been passed by the US Congress after a long delay, two new funding packages are likely to be set in motion. Elsewhere, Switzerland has also approved an aid package for Kyiv.

Friday 26 April 2024 15:09, UK

• Russia would struggle in Ukraine without China's help, US says  
• Ukraine sidelines US Abrams tanks after drone attacks  
• US expected to announce $6bn of long-term military aid to Ukraine
• Russia would target NATO nuclear weapons if deployed in Poland
• Explained : Why has Ukraine aid bill passed now, after months of delay?
• Your questions answered: Will Ukraine launch another spring offensive?
• Listen to the Sky News Daily above and  tap here  to follow wherever you get your podcasts

Thank you for following along today as we brought you live updates on the Ukraine war. 

Scroll down through our live page to catch up on the main developments today.

Russian jets have already used more than 9,000 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine this year, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

The recent pause in US funding helped Moscow to seize the initiative, the Ukrainian president added.

He is asking for additional Patriot air defence systems to be supplied, saying at least seven are required.

"We urgently need Patriot systems and missiles for them," he said. 

"This is what can and should save lives right now."

He added: "We need the ability to shoot down the air combat aircraft so that they do not approach our positions and borders," Mr Zelenskyy said at the start of a virtual meeting led by the United States.

Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, said the meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group - a coalition of about 50 countries - would focus on Ukraine's air defence capabilities.

As we have been reporting, the US has finally passed a new $61bn (£49bn) programme of funding for Kyiv into law.

Over the past couple of weeks we've been asking for your questions on the war for our military analysts and international correspondents.

Every week we're picking one or two to answer - here is this week's...

Will the Ukrainians have another spring offensive or wait again until the summer? Declan

Military analyst Sean Bell answers this one...

Thank you for this interesting question, Declan.

For the past few months, the tide of the war in Ukraine has been in Russia's favour as shortages of weapons have limited Ukraine's strategic options.  

Russia has been attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure and major cities with barrages of missile and drones, leaving Ukraine with critical shortages of aid defence missiles.  

The Russian air force has also been more active in support of its frontline forces, capitalising on Ukraine's growing shortage of defensive missile capability.

Despite the broad spectrum of military action from both sides, the primary metric of success in this conflict is territory gained/liberated, and Russia has been focusing its ground forces on the Donbas region.

Putin's long game

Despite suffering huge casualties, Russian forces have clearly been capitalising on Ukraine's dwindling stocks of artillery shells and bullets to gain momentum on the front line.

Vladimir Putin is evidently playing the long game here, as he always anticipated that the West's enthusiasm to support Ukraine would wane, leaving Russia to achieve its invasion objectives.

Although the recent announcement of a new package of $60bn military aid from the US will be welcome news for Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the immediate challenge will be to translate the commitment of cash into weapons and ammunition in the hands of the Ukrainian fighters - and swiftly.  

Momentum is invaluable in military operations, and reversing Russian progress across the frontline will be one of Ukraine's main priorities this spring/summer.

Having stabilised the frontline, Ukraine's attention can then turn to the wider strategy of "what next".

Last year's much anticipated "spring offensive" failed to make significant territorial gains, so Ukraine will need to reconsider its wider strategy to focus its limited resources most effectively.

Feast-famine approach won't work

Longer-term, the West needs to agree its strategic approach to the conflict.

Large-scale conflicts consume munitions and weapons at a rate well beyond the capacity of peacetime stockpiles, and require an industrialisation of national defence industries to produce the huge volumes required.

Russia has grown its defence industrial base to three times its pre-war levels, and is also using oil revenues to fund munitions imports from North Korea and Iran.

The West has yet to match this capacity.  

If Ukraine is to prevail in the war with Russia, it will need a predictable and sustainable supply of weapons - not the feast/famine approach that has characterised the past two years.

The West has the defence industrial capability to over-match Russia, but has yet to demonstrate the political resolve to fulfil that potential.

West's political will is key

In the meantime, Russia knows that a more direct engagement by the West in support of Ukraine would be decisive - Russia could not achieve its war aims.

That is why President Putin and Russian foreign minister Lavrov use threatening rhetoric whenever the West considers increasing support for Ukraine, with regular threats that such support would increase the risk of nuclear war.

However, it is Russia that invaded Ukraine, and it is Russia's military action that is causing such devastation to Ukrainian communities across the frontline.

Ultimately, the West can halt Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine - by providing weapons, boots on the ground and/or establishing a no-fly-zone - if it has the political resolve to do so.

If not, this latest round of military aid to Ukraine risks being seen as a short-term palliative, without a long-term strategy.

The United States is sending weapons and equipment to Ukraine "this week", Joe Biden has said.

Referring to a $61bn (£49bn) programme of funding for Kyiv that has finally been passed by Congress following a long delay, the president said he had signed it quickly into law.

It arrived on his desk early on Wednesday, he said, and he approved it before midday.

The new items will help to defend Ukraine from "Russian bombardment", he said.

Earlier (06.54) we reported that the US is expected to announce about $6bn (£4.8bn) in military aid to Ukraine today. 

A British man has been charged with conducting hostile state activity to benefit Russia, prosecutors have said.

Dylan Earl, 20, is alleged to have targeted businesses linked to Ukraine to benefit the Russian state.

Nick Price, head of the CPS's special crime and counterterrorism division, said: "Included in the alleged activity was involvement in the planning of an arson attack on a Ukrainian-linked commercial property in March 2024."

Four others have also been charged in connection with the investigation, the CPS said, after reporting restrictions were lifted today.

Read more on this breaking story here .

China is "frightened" of evoking US sanctions but is still getting "right up to the line" in assisting the Russian war effort, Professor Michael Clarke has said.

Analysing remarks by the US secretary of state (see previous post) that Washington has serious concerns about China providing weapons components to Russia, our military analyst said China is carefully calibrating its actions.

Those components - while not particularly sophisticated - are needed for missiles and high-tech weapons, Prof Clarke said.

He explained: "It's been known for a long time that the Chinese are supplying these.

"They're not supplying Russia with weapons because they're frightened of American sanctions. 

"They're certainly frightened of secondary sanctions, whereby the Americans can sanction a company dealing with a company that supplies to Russia."

Despite that fear, however, Prof Clarke said the Chinese have "gone right up to the line in assisting Russia without obviously sending them weapons".

In addition, they are facilitating the supply of weapons from North Korea to Russia, he added. 

Russia would struggle to sustain its invasion of Ukraine without China's help, the US secretary of state has said.

Antony Blinken - speaking in Beijing following talks with China's top diplomat, Wang Yi - said he had "reiterated" serious concerns about China providing components that are "powering Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine".

He added: "China is the top supplier of machine tools, microelectronics and nitrocellulose, which is critical to making munitions and rocket propellants and other dual-use items that Moscow is using to ramp its defence industrial base," he said during a news conference.

That industrial base is "churning out rockets, drones, tanks and other weapons that President Putin is using to invade a sovereign country", he added.

Those weapons are being used to "demolish a power grid and other civilian infrastructure and to kill innocent children, women and men", Mr Blinken said.

He went on: "Russia would struggle to sustain its assault on Ukraine without China's support.

"In my meetings with NATO's allies earlier this month and with our G7 partners just last week, I heard that same message: fuelling Russia's defence industrial base not only threatens Ukrainian security, it threatens European security. 

"Beijing cannot achieve better relations with Europe while supporting the greatest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War. 

"As we've told China for some time, ensuring transatlantic security is a core US interest. 

"In our discussions today, I made it clear that if China does not address this problem, we will."

At least four people were injured after Russia bombed an industrial site and a residential building in northeastern Ukraine, local officials have said. 

Three children and a woman were hurt when munitions hit a central part of the town of Derhachi in the Kharkiv region, governor Oleh Syniehubov said on Telegram. 

In the Sumy region, two bombs struck an industrial facility, regional authorities said.

The neighbouring regions, which border Russia, have undergone frequent aerial attacks.

In recent weeks, more intensive strikes have hit civilian and energy infrastructure.

A journalist working for the Russian edition of Forbes magazine has been detained on suspicion of spreading "fake news" about the Russian army, the magazine has said on its website.

Sergei Mingazov is being held in a detention centre in the far eastern city of Khabarovsk, according to his lawyer, Konstantin Bubon.

There has been no contact with the journalist, Forbes reported. 

Forbes is an American business magazine.

By Ed Conway, economics and data editor

The extraordinary, unprecedented and largely unexplained flows of millions of pounds of British luxury cars into states neighbouring Russia continued in February, according to new official data.

Some £26m worth of British cars were exported to Azerbaijan, according to HM Revenue & Customs.

In the latest quarter this former Soviet state - which has developing economy status - was the 17th largest destination for UK cars, and bigger than long-established export markets such as Ireland, Portugal and Qatar, the numbers show.

Read more below...

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