missing cruise ship man

Search for man who fell off Carnival cruise ship near Florida is suspended

The Coast Guard on Wednesday night suspended the search for a cruise ship passenger who is believed to have fallen into the sea east of Florida on Monday morning, officials said.

Ronnie Peale, 35, was identified as the passenger who fell about 4 a.m. as the Carnival Magic cruise ship was around 180 miles east of Jacksonville.

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

The Coast Guard said it was notified around 6:30 p.m. Monday that a passenger had fallen. The search involved HC-130 Hercules airplanes, a HC-144 plane and a cutter, which is a ship.

More than 5,171 square miles were searched, the Coast Guard said.

The Carnival Magic is around 1,000 feet long and has a capacity of almost 3,700 passengers, in addition to around 1,300 crew members, according to the cruise company. It had been scheduled to arrive Tuesday in Norfolk, Virginia.

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.

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Coast Guard searching Gulf after man reported missing from Carnival cruise ship

By Kerry Breen

Updated on: November 14, 2023 / 6:53 PM EST / CBS News

A search is underway in the Gulf of Mexico after a 28-year-old man was reported missing from a Carnival cruise ship. 

The man was identified by family as Tyler Barnett of Houma, Louisiana, according to the Coast Guard . Barnett was reported missing from the Carnival Glory on Monday morning by a family member, according to a Carnival spokesperson. The ship was searched by security and camera footage was reviewed. 

He was last seen on camera at around midnight Monday, the Coast Guard said. A Carnival spokesperson told CBS News in a statement Tuesday evening that multiple reviews of the ship's surveillance video determined the guest "jumped" from the fourth deck of the ship at about 1:40 a.m. Monday.

Video showed him climbing onto a lifeboat and jumping from there, Carnival said.

The examination of the security video was complicated by the fact that the security team was not informed until Tuesday that the missing man may have been wearing a different shirt than initially thought, Carnival disclosed, which allowed ship security to "change the profile of the guest" as it "searched onboard video."

A public affairs officer for the U.S. Coast Guard said that watch standers from the service received a reported of an unaccounted for passenger early Monday afternoon. The Coast Guard launched two aircraft to search for Barnett. Those searches went on until Monday evening but were temporarily paused overnight because of dangerous weather conditions, including gale-force winds and rough seas. 

"We are currently searching a large area that encompasses more than 200 miles of the ship's voyage path due to the uncertainty of when he may have gone overboard," the Coast Guard said. "The Coast Guard issued urgent marine information broadcasts and messages to mariners in the Gulf of Mexico notifying them of the missing passenger." 

The search resumed on Tuesday morning, the Coast Guard said. The agency said it would continue searching as weather conditions allow.

The Carnival Glory departed New Orleans on Sunday. The ship is proceeding to Montego Bay, Jamaica, and is expected to arrive there Wednesday. The ship is also expected to make stops in Grand Cayman and Cozumel. 

The Carnival spokesperson said that Barnett's family, who remain on board, are being supported by the company's care team. 

According to Carnival's website , the Carnival Glory can hold 2,980 passengers and 1,150 crew members. The ship has 14 decks and is 952 feet long. 

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Kerry Breen is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.

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Father of Port St. Lucie man missing from cruise ship: 'We basically just want some answers'

PORT ST. LUCIE − A local man whose son disappeared from a Carnival cruise ship over Labor Day weekend said Wednesday he’s hoping for information.

“Even if it's something for closure,” Sean McGrath said. “We just want to not get up every day and not know where he is or what happened to him.”

McGrath spoke of his son, Kevin McGrath, 26, whom the elder McGrath last talked with the evening of Sept. 3.

Sean McGrath said about 43 friends and family members were on the three-day cruise to the Bahamas aboard the Carnival Conquest as part of his 60 th birthday celebration.

“I spoke to him around 10 p.m. and just went to the room to give him his luggage tags and tell him to meet us downstairs for breakfast about 7:30 a.m.,” Sean McGrath said.

Sean McGrath said his son’s pass card was scanned entering the room he shared with his twin brother, Andre, about 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 4. They were on the Carnival Conquest cruise ship heading back to PortMiami.

Sean McGrath didn’t know what could have happened to his son.

“At this point, I can't really say because it was verified that he did not go overboard, and he did not get off the ship via the (pass) being scanned,” Sean McGrath said.

Sean McGrath said Kevin McGrath served six years in the U.S. Army and went to Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. He is divorced and has two young children living with their mother in Tennessee.

“I think the worst part of this all is if we never ever see him again,” Sean McGrath said. “I'm like 60 years old, I could possibly die soon and never know what happened. We basically just want some answers.”

Without a trace

Ship staff and security searched the ship but were unsuccessful, Miami-Dade Police Department officials reported after Kevin McGrath disappeared.

The ship’s overboard detection system never went off, and there is no other evidence that Kevin McGrath went overboard , according to the MDPD.

Police spokesman Alvaro A. Zabaleta on Monday said the agency’s Missing Persons Unit “continues to work closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and Carnival Cruise Line, to obtain information that could develop viable leads that will assist in the investigation.”

Citing the ongoing investigation, Zabeleta declined to say whether police officials have obtained or reviewed video Carnival cameras recorded aboard the Conquest.

Since Kevin McGrath vanished, his sister Danielle McGrath and other relatives in St. Lucie County have turned to Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to spread the word about him.

The unthinkable How easy is it to fall overboard on a cruise ship, and how can you survive?

A spokesperson for Carnival on Monday declined to respond to detailed questions about how the ship’s staff searched for Kevin McGrath and referred to a statement released after he was reported missing.

“On Monday morning, (Sept. 4) after Carnival Conquest had returned to PortMiami, a guest reported a family member missing,” spokesperson Matt Lupoli said via email. “Our investigation continues, including multiple reviews of closed-circuit video footage and we are also cooperating with law enforcement and the U.S. Coast Guard.”

Cruise ships have safeguards to prevent passengers from going overboard, and are required by the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 to have rails that are "located not less than 42 inches above the cabin deck."

Danielle McGrath, of Fort Pierce, who was not on the ship, said Kevin was last seen by his twin brother Andre at around 2 a.m. on Labor Day Monday.

Cell phone footage last shows him dancing to live music on Sunday night.

At around 7:30 a.m. when Kevin McGrath didn’t meet the family for breakfast, they searched for him and then reported him missing when everyone disembarked the ship.

He was nowhere to be found.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection told Carnival that Kevin McGrath was not detected during the debarkation process, NBC Miami reported.

Search yields nothing

The U.S. Coast Guard was notified around 11 a.m. on Sept. 4 and searched 3,300 square nautical miles with helicopters but found nothing, according to Petty Officer Ryan Estrada, in Miami.

“We can confirm the case has been suspended,” Estrada said Monday.

Several U.S. Coast Guard boats from Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale also assisted in the 80-hour search, he said, along with officials from Miami-Dade Police, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

After the Coast Guard officials suspended the search on Thursday Sept. 7, Carnival officials told USA Today that Miami-Dade police cleared the Carnival Conquest to sail and said the Carnival Care Team is supporting the family.

Anyone with information should call the Miami-Dade Police Department's Special Victims Bureau at 305-715-3300 or Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 (TIPS)

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USA TODAY contributed to this report.

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‘Miracle': Missing cruise ship passenger found OK in water

A US Coast Guard helicopter rescued a man who was reported to have fallen overboard from a cruise ship into the Gulf of Mexico about 20 miles (32 kilometers) off Southwest Pass, Louisiana on Thanksgiving Day. (Nov. 26)

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard says a passenger who went overboard from a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico was rescued on Thanksgiving after likely being in the water for hours.

The 28-year-old man was reported missing at noon Thursday while the vessel, the Carnival Valor, was heading to Cozumel, Mexico. According to Carnival Cruise Line, the man was with his sister at a bar on Carnival Valor Wednesday at 11 p.m. and went to use the restroom. His sister reported him missing the next day after the man did not return to his stateroom.

The Coast Guard launched search and rescue crews Thursday afternoon and alerted nearby ships to be watchful.

Coast Guard Lt. Seth Gross said a cargo ship later saw a person in the water about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Southwest Pass, Louisiana, and the mouth of the Mississippi River. Gross said the man confirmed he was the missing cruise ship passenger after he was hoisted into a helicopter about 8:25 p.m. Thursday.

“He appeared to be suffering from mild hypothermia, shock, dehydration, but his condition overall appeared stable,” Gross told WWL-TV, adding the man was taken for medical care.

Gross called the rescue “a miracle especially on a holiday like Thanksgiving.”

In a statement, Carnival said: “We greatly appreciate the efforts of all, most especially the U.S. Coast Guard and the mariner who spotted the guest in the water.”

The man’s name has not been released.

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Search suspended: family of missing port st. lucie man last seen aboard carnival cruise speaks out.

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The U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search Thursday for a Port St. Lucie man who went missing while on a Carnival cruise earlier this week. Danielle McGrath says it is very out of character for her brother Kevin to take off or cut off communication, but on a family trip, he disappeared without a trace.

Cellphone video captured Kevin McGrath dancing to the music on a Carnival cruise Sunday evening, and then... "We know that at 3:30 in the morning, he used the key card to get back in the room, and anytime between then and 7:30 in the morning when he was supposed to meet my family for breakfast is when he went missing," his sister said.

'Not like my brother': Sister of man missing from Carnival cruise ship speaks out

Danielle McGrath said when her brother didn't show up to disembark later either, they demanded Carnival Cruises check surveillance, but still no answers. "I guess they have some type of sensors where it triggers if someone falls overboard, and they said nothing went off," she said. So, they contacted Miami PD and federal authorities.

"The U.S. Coast Guard, they have been amazing; they searched the water top to bottom, left to right, everything you can think of, and they even came out to Port St. Lucie," Danielle said.

It was to tell them they haven't found any trace of the young father of two. An Army veteran who served overseas, McGrath had just moved his family back to the Treasure Coast.

"It is definitely not like my brother to just up and go missing," Danielle said.

Kevin was out the morning he went missing with his twin brother Andre. The whole family had boarded the ship to celebrate their dad's 60th birthday.

"Kevin, please, wherever you are, I need you home safely. We love you, we miss you, and we cannot take this," Danielle said.

Along with her family, she's asking anyone on that cruise ship who may have seen or heard something to call Miami police.

Coast Guard calls off search for man seen jumping overboard off Carnival cruise ship

The U.S. Coast Guard announced Monday night they were ending the search for a man who reportedly jumped from the deck of a Carnival cruise ship.

According to Carnival Cruise Line officials, the Elation crew was notified by his family members that Jaylen Hill, 30, was missing.

"Sadly, after an exhaustive on-board search and a review of security camera video, it was determined that he jumped," said Matt Lupoli, Senior Manager of Public Relations.

Here's what we know.

Man overboard! How easy is it to fall overboard on a cruise ship, and how can you survive?

Who jumped off a Carnival Cruise Line ship?

The U.S. Coast Guard identified the man as Jaylen Hill.

When did Jaylen Hill go missing?

Carnival Elation was on a four-day Bahamas cruise and returned to Jacksonville Monday morning. Hill was reported missing around 8 p.m., according to the Coast Guard.

“The crew was notified by his traveling companion late (Sunday) afternoon about his missing status after he had not been seen all day,” the cruise line said. 

Did Jaylen Hill jump overboard?

The cruise line said in a release that surveillance video showed Hill jumping overboard.

The  Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010  requires passenger vessels operating in the United States to "integrate technology that can be used for capturing images of passengers or detecting passengers who have fallen overboard, to the extent that such technology is available."

Carnival spokesperson Matt Lupoli told USA TODAY earlier this year that all ships have "safety barriers that are regulated by U.S. Coast Guard standards and prevent a guest from falling off."

Where did Hill jump off the Carnival Cruise ship?

Hill went missing 95 east of the coast of Melbourne, the Coast Guard said.

Rescue crews using the 87-foot cutter Tarpon from St Petersburg, a Hercules aircraft from Clearwater, and an Ocean Sentry plane from Miami searched more than 1,347 square miles searching for Hill, the Coast Guard said, but suspended the search efforts Monday evening.

"We offer our deepest condolences to the Hill family," said Petty Officer Eric Rodriguez, D7. "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."

What is the Carnival Cruise ship Elation?

At 855 feet long, nearly 72,000 tons and staffed with 900 crewmembers, the Carnival Elation can carry nearly 2,200 guests.

The Elation returned to Jacksonville's port in October 2022 after being previously deployed to Port Canaveral. That marked a return for the cruise ship, which ran out of Jacksonville in 2015 .

Have other people died on the Carnival Elation cruise ship?

In 2018, a Kansas woman died after falling from the balcony , but it wasn't an accident. Eric Duane Newman, 55, of Topeka, pleaded guilty the next year to second-degree murder for strangling Tamara Tucker, 50, of Lawson, Missouri, and pushing her off.

Kevin Wellons , 24, of Georgia, was seen going overboard in February 2017. The Coast Guard suspended its search 36 hours later.

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Search Suspended for Man Who Disappeared from Cruise Ship While Celebrating Dad's 60th Birthday

Kevin McGrath, 26, was reported missing shortly after it was discovered that he was not on the Carnival Conquest when it was time to disembark on Monday

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

Miami Dade Police Department; Getty

The search for a 26-year-old man who disappeared while on a Carnival cruise with his family has been suspended.

Kevin McGrath was reported missing shortly after it was discovered that he was not on the Carnival Conquest when it came time to disembark in PortMiami on Monday.

The young man was on the three-day cruise with family to celebrate his father’s 60th birthday when he vanished, according to NBC affiliate WTVJ and CBS affiliate WPEC .

The United States Coast Guard has confirmed to PEOPLE that the search for Kevin has since been suspended.

Angel Rodriguez, a detective for the Miami-Dade Police Department, previously told PEOPLE that the 26-year-old was last seen around 2 a.m. local time Monday morning.

The search for Kevin began after he failed to meet his family for breakfast that day before they disembarked, Rodriguez said.

Kevin’s father, Sean McGrath, said his son’s twin brother Andre thought he heard Kevin leave their room between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., per WPEC.

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.

Sean told the outlet that he asked Andre where his brother was, and “he said he didn’t come back to the room.”

Kevin’s “SeaPass” card was not scanned during the departure process, according to his father. Sean said there’s no way his son could have left the ship without scanning the card, or having his important documents.

Additionally, Sean said he was told that the ship has sensors to alert the crew if someone goes overboard, but that “nothing was alerted.”

“The entire family is devastated, knowing that we had to get off the ship and leave someone unaccounted for,” he added.

The Coast Guard told PEOPLE that its Miami Command Center was alerted to the incident at about 11 a.m. on Monday.

Coast Guard crews searched nearly 3300-square nautical miles of water for Kevin before the search was suspended, they added.

On Thursday, a spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line, which did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment, said they were continuing the investigation, which included “multiple reviews of closed circuit video footage," according to USA Today .

"Someone knows something,” Kevin’s sister, Danielle McGrath, told WTVJ. “Someone’s seen something. I just want my brother home. My family wants my brother home. Just please, we need him home."

Speaking with USA Today , Danielle said “there’s so many scenarios that run through my head.” 

"Did he fall somewhere and he’s screaming for help and no one hears him? Did he fall down an elevator shaft? I just don't know,” she said. “It's just anything."

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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 for Missing Cruise Passenger in Cozumel Transitions to Recovery

Andrea Santillan

• April 15, 2024

As the missing passenger, Brad Solomon III, remains missing in Cozumel, Mexico, a family member reports that authorities’ search and rescue efforts have turned into recovery efforts. 

Solomon has been missing for nearly two weeks . Though authorities and civilians conducted several searches in Isla de la Pasión, they failed to find him.

Family members also flew in from the United States to help look for the 66-year-old Charleston, South Carolina resident. Adding urgency and complexity to their mission is Solomon’s frontotemporal dementia diagnosis, a neurodegenerative disorder that lists impulsivity, disorientation, and difficulty communicating as symptoms.

Solomon’s wife, Mimi Hyer Solomon, was with him before disappearing. According to her, the involvement of several government agencies initially posed challenges, but these were resolved after Mexico’s military forces headed the operation.

Though search efforts first focused on the city, the groups have moved on to the jungle. Last Friday, Daughter Savannah Miller hoped that Solomon could be under the care of local citizens occupying the jungle’s communal areas.

Warren elaborated, “Our love for Brad is true as evidenced by the work of so many family members on the ground in Cozumel, we have so been hoping and wanting to find Brad alive. But now we must face the nearly insurmountable evidence to the contrary,” 

Solomon’s family members also noted that the AirTag he had with him seems to have stopped working. 

His daughter, Savannah Miller, shared a plausible chain of events using information the family has. According to the account she shared with a Charleston-based publication,  the couple debarked from Icon of the Seas. It temporarily parted to use the bathroom near the Cozumel cruise terminal. When Solomon came out first and didn’t see his wife, he left to look for her. His wife soon realized that Solomon was missing and raised the alarm. 

Some of their family stayed on the cruise ship while Solomon’s wife rode in a security guard’s car to comb the streets. Miller said they didn’t catch him because he walked quickly when anxious.

The family has set up a GoFundMe to help relieve the financial burden of travel expenses and recovery.

As the hope of finding Solomon alive dwindles, the family continues to hope for the best despite the odds. In one of Miller’s posts, she wrote, “Our family is incomplete without all 3 of us. We will find him and bring him home.”

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Coast Guard suspends search for man missing from Pacific Ocean cruise ship

Ayana Archie

The Quantum of the Seas cruise ship is docked at the Marina Bay Cruise Center Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020 in Singapore. Danial Hakim/AP hide caption

The Quantum of the Seas cruise ship is docked at the Marina Bay Cruise Center Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020 in Singapore.

The U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday it will end its search for a man who reportedly fell overboard on a cruise ship traveling in the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii.

"After reviewing all relevant information of the case and discussing it with the next of kin, the Coast Guard has made the difficult decision to suspend the active search for the passenger aboard the Quantum of the Seas," Kevin Cooper, a search-and-rescue mission coordinator for the Coast Guard said in a statement .

A Coast Guard coordination center said it received a call from the Royal Caribbean ship Quantum of the Seas that an Australian man went overboard at about 11:03 p.m. Tuesday.

The cruise ship stayed on the scene to search for the man for two hours before resuming its journey.

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Hawaii's lawmakers mull imposing fees to pay for ecotourism crush.

The Coast Guard deployed an air search crew at about 7 a.m. Wednesday to about 500 miles south of the town of Kailua-Kona on the big island of Hawaii. They arrived on the scene at about 9 a.m. and stayed for about six hours before returning to a fuel station.

The cruise ship has been at sea for 16 days and is expected to dock in Hawaii on Friday.

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Cruise ship industry is booming despite spate of high-seas deaths.

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It’s full steam ahead for the cruise ship industry after Royal Caribbean hiked its full-year profit guidance on Thursday, saying it expects 60% growth from last year following record bookings during the first quarter.

Travelers are paying “record ticket prices,” according to Royal Caribbean — despite a recent spate of high-sea deaths and missing passengers reports, including a Florida 20-year-old who jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise this month.

Soaring demand for vacations at sea has given cruise operators ample room to raise ticket prices as the industry looks to close the pricing gap between more expensive land-based holidays and give their profits a lift.

Royal Caribbean, which operates the Celebrity Cruises, now expects annual profits of between $10.70 and $10.90 per share, compared with its earlier forecast of $9.90 to $10.10.

“Our existing fleet along with our new ships continue to perform exceptionally well, highlighted by the market response to the launch of Icon of the Seas,” CEO Jason Liberty said.

Royal Caribbean’s shares — which have spiked 126% in the past year, were up 2% on Thursday morning, to $139.32.

“I remember owning the stock in 2022 and every client was giving me grief about it,” said Peter Ahluwalia, manager at Belinvest Global Equity Fund that holds Royal Caribbean stocks and chief investment officer at Swiss Partners Group. “We’re turning almost 45% return on equity at the moment, which is quite incredible.”

Overall, the industry which was among the hardest hit during the pandemic, is expected to grow to 39.4 million passengers in 2027 from 31.7 million last year, according to Statista.

The surge in demand comes amid major publicity blows from incidents at sea involving passengers who have gone missing, including the Florida man who jumped overboard on April 4 in front of his brother and father after a night of drinking.

Last December, a 41-year-old Royal Caribbean passenger went overboard on a cruise to the Bahamas. That followed an incident last August involving a 64 year-old woman sailing from Singapore to Malaysia on Royal Caribbean who is presumed to have jumped to her death .

On average, 19 people go overboard on cruise ships every year — and of those, only about four are rescued, according to a 2020 study commissioned by the industry trade group Cruise Lines International Association.

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Man reveals the secrets and scandals on board the world’s most exclusive private residential cruise ship

He said comparing life on board to the hyper-wealthy scenes of the white lotus wouldn't be 'inaccurate'.

Jess Hardiman

A man has opened up about the ‘scandals and secrets’ while living on board the world’s most exclusive residential cruise ship, saying ‘a lot of partying’ goes on.

Retired lawyer Peter Antonucci spent six years as a resident of The World, a luxury cruise ship launched in 2002 as an exclusive playground for multimillionaires to travel the world.

He and his wife had first heard about it in 2012, when he was 52 and settling in to his early retirement.

“When I first got on, I thought it was ridiculously expensive,” Antonucci told CNN.

“I couldn’t believe the apartments cost so much. I couldn’t believe the maintenance costs were so much and couldn’t imagine why anybody would do this.

“But the second day, I was saying, ‘How many apartments do you have available and when can I sign up?’”

He estimates he bought the first on-board apartment for around $1.6 million , before going on to buy even pricier units for around $4 million a pop.

Since selling up in 2019, after realising he’d seen everything he wanted to do and was ready for something ‘new’, Antonucci turned his hand to writing books about his time on The World, describing the experience as a ‘country club meets sorority house’ vibe.

“The politics, and the gossip on the ship got a little overwhelming,” he also admitted.

Antonucci explained to CNN that to compare The World to fictional hotel chain The White Lotus - the setting for HBO series of the same name – would not be ‘inaccurate’.

“There are a lot of wealthy people doing playful things, sometimes naughty things, sometimes scandalous things,” he said, adding that ‘a lot of drinking and carousing’ can often lead to ‘scandals and secrets’.

“Stuff happens. Some of it is fun. Some of it is people just getting blasted and singing songs and just having a good old time. And that’s relatively harmless.

“And then even some of the affairs and things are harmless – if the people are available, single, that’s fine.

“But there are married people, married couples on the ship, who are not always sleeping with their spouse.”

Antonucci said he never ‘engaged in that’, but would often enjoy having a good laugh about it over a drink with friends.

According to the dad-of-two , the ‘greatest asset’ of the ship wasn’t all the bells and whistles, but the crew, who were always able to anticipate his every need.

“It was like an orchestra with a lot of different parts,” he recalled.

“Each one was great. But together, it was a symphony.”

As for the ‘most incredible thing’ he’s seen throughout his exclusive cruising life, Antonucci said he doesn’t ‘even know where to begin’.

“I could talk about the Solomon Islands,” he said.

“I could tell you how every time we went to South Africa, we would get off and go on a safari for a week.

“We set a Guinness World Record for being the vessel that traveled furthest south of any vessel in history.

“[...] Those are all very, very special memories.”

Topics:  Cruise Ship , Travel , Real Life , TV And Film

Jess is Entertainment Desk Lead at LADbible Group. She graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics. You can contact Jess at [email protected] .

@ Jess_Hardiman

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The welsh 24-year-old couldn't recall how she'd wound up in hospital.

Grandma of toddlers who died in boiling car gave chilling warning before tragic incident

Darcey-helen and chloe-ann died after being left alone in a hot car that reached a shocking temperature of 61.5c.

Former mortuary worker admits to selling 24 boxes of stolen body parts

She sold the body parts for more than $10,000, and now faces decades in jail.

'Devoted' husband, 93, sent to prison after suffocating elderly wife to death

Donald morley claimed the murder was a 'mercy killing'.

• Cruise ship worker reveals 9 things she would never do at onboard buffet
• Man reveals bizarre health issue from living on cruise ship for 23 years
• Cruise ship singer reveals morbid reason behind 'ice cream parties'
• Man reveals what it is like living on a 2,496 tonne cruise ship he bought

New on Netflix in May 2024 — all the new shows and movies to watch

I t’s almost the start of a new month, so it's time to take a look at all the new movies and TV shows set to arrive on Netflix in May 2024.

The biggest new edition is the return of the romantic period drama “Bridgerton." The hugely popular Netflix original series is back with the first part of its third season on May 16, and will no doubt lead to us all speaking with a posh English accent for days after bingeing. Other top TV show picks this month include true crime-inspired thriller “Bodkin” and new episodes of the glossy reality show “Selling the OC.”

If you’re in the mood for a movie, Netflix has plenty to offer. There’s a rom-com pairing Brooke Shields with Miranda Cosgrove as a mother-daughter duo, and “Unfrosted” which is a ridiculous-looking spoof from Jerry Seinfeld about the creation of the humble Pop-Tart — yes, this is a real movie debuting on the streaming service this month and not an out-of-season April Fools joke. 

It’s set to be a busy month for new arrivals on Netflix and to make sure you don’t miss anything we’ve got a full guide below. There’s also a list of what’s leaving in May so you have a final chance to watch before they’re gone for good (or at least, gone for now).

New on Netflix in May 2024: Top picks

'a man in full'.

Based on the best-selling novel by Tom Wolfe, “A Man in Full” sees Jeff Daniels play a real estate mogul named Charlie Croker who faces sudden bankruptcy and must defend his crumbling empire from politicians and businessmen looking to capitalize now they smell blood in the water. Croker is a crude and rude tycoon who doesn’t plan to fall from grace without a fight and is ready to deploy every dirty trick to protect what he has built. The limited series will also star Diane Lane, Lucy Liu, Tom Pelphrey and William Jackson Harper. This six-episode drama comes from Dave E. Kelley who also created “Big Little Lies” for HBO and “The Lincoln Lawyer“ for Netflix. 

Stream on Netflix from May 2  

'Selling the OC' season 3

“Selling the OC” is back for its third season with the agents of The Oppenheim Group’s Orange County office ready to compete for the top listing in the cut-throat world of luxury real estate all over again. Of course, these brokers won’t just be attempting to sell multi-million dollar houses in sun-soaked California, expect more office drama as these workers definitely don’t leave their personal lives at the door. This spin-off from “Selling Sunset” has become just as popular as its parent series, and the return of “Selling the OC” is sure to be the month’s highlight for many Netflix subscribers. If you want even more reality TV set in the world of real estate, be sure to check out “Buying London” which is also set to land on Netflix in May (date TBC).  

Stream on Netflix from May 3 

'Unfrosted' 

When I first heard about “Unfrosted,” I assumed it was a gag rather than a real movie, but nope, this comedy about the race to win the breakfast war between Kellogg’s and Post in the 1960s is totally legit. Directed, co-written by and starring Jerry Seinfeld, “Unfrosted” is a hilarious spoof of movies like “Blackberry” and “Air”. It chronicles the creation of the Pop-Tart, a "revolutionary" toaster pastry that is still enjoyed by families across the world to this day. Seinfeld has assembled a comedy super cast for this ridiculously silly flick with plenty of very funny people joining him including Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, Hugh Grant, Peter Dinklage, Bill Burr, Dan Levy, James Marsden and Max Greenfield.   

Stream on Netflix from May 3

'Bodkin' 

Inspired by our society's current true crime obsession, but based on an original idea rather than a true story, “Bodkin” sees a group of podcasters travel to a seemingly idyllic town in the gorgeous Irish countryside to investigate a string of strange disappearances that occurred decades previously. Once the true crime investigators arrive on the scene they quickly realize there’s something more sinister hiding beneath the surface and are drawn into a twisting mystery. A dark thriller, with comedic elements (Though creator Jez Scharf is keen to stress it’s “not a comedy”), Bodkin stars Will Forte, Siobhán Cullen, and Robyn Cara.  

Stream on Netflix from May 9

'Mother of the Bride'

From Mark Waters, the director of “Mean Girls” and “Freaky Friday”, comes a new romantic comedy starring Brooke Shields and Miranda Cosgrove alongside Benjamin Bratt and Chad Michael Murray. In this glossy flick, Lana (Shields) is stunned when her daughter Emma (Cosgrove) returns from a trip aboard with the news she’s getting married, in Thailand, in a month. If the shock engagement wasn’t enough to process, Lana is even more blind-sighted when she learns that Emma’s fiancé is the son of the man who broke her heart years earlier. Traveling to the destination wedding, what follows is several awkward encounters and maybe even a second chance at finding love. “Mother of the Bride” looks very cliché but also great fun.  

‘Bridgerton’ season 3 (part 1) 

For fans of Netflix’s hugely popular period drama, the wait is almost over, it’s time to break out your best fine China afternoon tea set as “Bridgerton” is (nearly) back after a hiatus of more than two years. “Bridgerton” season 3 will be released in two parts, with the first four episodes arriving in May, and the second half of the third season dropping in June. There will be plenty of juicy drama this season encompassing the entire cast but the big focus will be on Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgeton (Luke Newtown), and there’s more than friendship brewing between this wallflower and the dashing world traveler. If you’ve yet to sample the delights of “Bridgerton” now is a good time to get caught up before May 16.  

Stream on Netflix from May 16

Move over “Rebel Moon” there’s a new blockbuster science-fiction epic in town and it’s called “Atlas”. This action movie stars Jennifer Lopez as Atlas Shepherd, a brilliant but unsociable data analyst with a deep distrust of artificial intelligence. She signs up to join a mission to the stars to capture a rebellious robot that is linked to her mysterious past. But when the mission takes a turn, Atlas is forced to trust AI to help her save all of humanity. Expect a fast-paced plot, and some timely themes, as well as a satisfying message about the importance of trusting others and letting your guard down. I'm not totally sold yet but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that “Atlas” is a little better received by critics than Zack Snyder’s aforementioned sci-fi flop. 

Stream on Netflix from May 24

Everything new on Netflix in May 2024

Synopses provided by Netflix

"Deaw Special: Super Soft Power" (TH) (Netflix Comedy)

"Down The Rabbit Hole" (MX) (Netflix Film)

"Frankly Speaking" (KR) (Netflix Series)

"Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar" (IN) (Netflix Series)

• "Airport '77"
• "Airport 1975" 
• "The Best Man Holiday"
• "Blue Mountain State: Season 1"
• "Blue Mountain State: Season 2" 
• "Blue Mountain State: Season 3"
• "Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland"
• "Eat Pray Love"
• "The Edge of Seventeen"
• "The Equalizer"
• "The Gentlemen"
• "Hellboy" (2019) 
• "Jumanji" (1995)
• "Liar Liar"
• "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa"
• "The Matrix Resurrections"
• "Mortal Kombat" (2021)
• "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"
• "The Nutty Professor"
• "The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps"
• "Outlander" Season 6 
• "Patriots Day"
• "Public Enemies"
• "Ride Along"
• "Shrek Forever After"
• "Starship Troopers"
• "The Wedding Planner"
• "White House Down"
• "Woody Woodpecker"
•  "The Young Victoria"

"A Man in Full" (Netflix Series)

"Beautiful Rebel" (IT) (Netflix Film)

The origin story of one of Italy's greatest rock stars, Gianna Nannini, who chased her dream despite obstacles from her family and the music industry.

Secrets of the Neanderthals (GB) (Netflix Documentary)

"T・P BON" (JP) (Netflix Anime)

After Bon accidentally intervenes in a Time Patrol case, he must join Agent Ream in saving innocent lives from the past — while watching history unfold.

John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s In L.A (Netflix Comedy Special) (Live Event)

In six live installments, John Mulaney explores Los Angeles during a week when pretty much every single funny person is in town.

"Postcards" (NG) (Netflix Series)

When a Nigerian single mother travels to India for a medical checkup, her journey will end up touching the lives of everyone she meets.

"Selling the OC" season 3 (Netflix Series)

The ambitious agents at The Oppenheim Group attempt to up their real estate game as more personal drama interferes with major professional endeavors.

"The Unbroken Voice" season 2 (CO) (Netflix Series)

As her career takes off, Arelys struggles to balance her music and her family life as dangerous new foes threaten to destroy everything.

Unfrosted (Netflix Film)

In a time when milk and cereal ruled breakfast, a fierce corporate battle begins over a revolutionary new pastry. A Pop-Tart comedy from Jerry Seinfeld.

"The Atypical Family" (KR) (Netflix Series)

Blessed with superpowers, a man and his family begin to lose their abilities under the weight of the world — until a mysterious woman changes everything.

"Katt Williams: Woke Foke" (Netflix Comedy Special) (Live Event)

Comedian Katt Williams lets loose in real time as he hits the stage on May 4 for Netflix’s second livestreamed stand-up event.

"The Peanut Butter Falcon"

"Roast of Tom Brady" (Netflix Comedy Special) (Live Event)

Tom Brady will take the hits when sports and comedy stars team up to roast the greatest NFL quarterback of all time. 

"30 for 30: Broke"

"30 for 30: Deion's Double Play"

"30 for 30: The Two Escobars"

"John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s In L.A" (Netflix Comedy Special) (Live Event) (new episodes)

"Reba: Seasons 1-6"

"Super Rich in Korea" (KR) (Netflix Series)

"The Final: Attack on Wembley" (GB) (Netflix Documentary)

"Bodkin" (Netflix Series)

"The Guardian of the Monarchs" (MX) (Netflix Documentary)

The forests of Michoacán are home to millions of monarch butterflies. Activist Homero Gómez was highly vocal about its preservation – and then he vanished.

"Mother of The Bride" (Netflix Film)

In this breezy rom-com, a tropical island wedding teeters on the brink of disaster after the mother of the bride discovers the groom's father is her ex.

"Sing Street"

"Thank You, Next" (TR) (Netflix Series)

After a painful breakup, a young lawyer sets out to find true love in the confusing world of modern dating with the support of her best friends.

Blood of Zeus: Season 2 (Netflix Anime)

To escape the Underworld forever, Hades crafts a plan to claim Zeus's crown for himself and reunite with his beloved Persephone as ruler of Olympus.

"Cooking Up Murder: Uncovering the Story of César Román" (ES) (Netflix Documentary)

This docuseries analyzes a murder case implicating a Spanish chef, who built a career in the spotlight through a web of secrets and false identities.

"Living with Leopards" (GB) (Netflix Documentary)

A film crew follows two leopard cubs as they make the fascinating journey from infancy into adulthood in this up-close-and-personal nature documentary.

"Pokémon Horizons: The Series Part 2" (JP) (Netflix Family)

The Rising Volt Tacklers continue their daring quest to find the black Rayquaza, with Liko and Roy upping their skills at every twist and turn!

"The Ultimatum: South Africa" (ZA) (Netflix Series)

A six-way partner-swap sparks wild attractions and tearful betrayals. Participants choose whom to love and leave in this heart-pounding experiment.

"Mark Twain Prize Award: Kevin Hart" (Netflix Comedy Special)

"Archer" seasons 1-13

"Princess Power" season 3 (Netflix Family)

After their coronation, the princesses have a new challenge: getting accepted to the Princess Adventure Academy! But first they must complete six quests.

"Married at First Sight" season 15 

"Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal" (GB) (Netflix Documentary)

"The Clovehitch Killer"

"Bridgerton" season 3 part 1 (Netflix Series)

As a new crop of debutantes yearns to become the brightest of the ball, a wallflower with a double life finds her light amid secrets and surprises.

"Dumb and Dumber To"

"Maestro in Blue" season 2 (GR) (Netflix Series)

"The 8 Show" (KR) (Netflix Series)

"Power" (Netflix Documentary)

"Thelma the Unicorn" (Netflix Family)

"A Simple Favor"

"Golden Kamuy" (JP) (Netflix Film)

"The Parisian Agency: Exclusive Properties" Season 4 (FR) (Netflix Series)

"Rachel Feinstein: Big Guy" (Netflix Comedy)

From her firefighter husband's unflattering pet name to her mom's aggressive accessorizing, Rachel Feinstein lets loose in this stand-up comedy special.

"Wildfire: Seasons 1-4"

"Act Your Age" season 1

"Toughest Forces on Earth" (GB) (Netflix Series)

This docu-series surveys military combat forces across the world to see how they train for dangerous missions using specialized equipment.

"El vendedor de ilusiones: El caso Generación Zoe" (AR) (Netflix Documentary)

"Franco Escamilla: Ladies' Man" (MX) (Netflix Comedy)

"Garouden: The Way of the Lone Wolf" (JP) (Netflix Anime)

"In Good Hands 2" (TR) (Netflix Film)

Tires (Netflix Series)

"Atlas" (Netflix Film)

"Butterfly in the Sky: The Story of Reading Rainbow"

"Jurassic World: Chaos Theory" (Netflix Family)

"Mulligan: Part 2" (Netflix Series)

"My Oni Girl" (JP) (Netflix Film)

"Bionic" (BR) (Netflix Film)

"Colors of Evil: Red" (PL) (Netflix Film)

"Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult" (Netflix Documentary)

"Patrick Melrose"

"Eric" (GB) (Netflix Series)

A desperate father, alongside a tenacious cop, battles his own demons on the streets of 1980s New York as he searches for his missing nine-year-old son.

"Geek Girl" (GB) (Netflix Series)

"A Part of You" (SE) (Netflix Film)

"Chola Chabuca"

"How to Ruin Love: The Proposal" (ZA) (Netflix Series)

Suspecting infidelity, love-cynic Zoleka follows her boyfriend to Cape Town, only to ruin her own surprise proposal. Now, she must win him back.

"Raising Voices" (ES) (Netflix Series)

When a 17-year-old reports a sexual assault at her high school, an investigation upends her life and tests her relationships.

"Tòkunbọ̀" (NG) (Netflix Film)

Tokunbo, an ex-car smuggler, is on a dangerous mission to save his family by delivering a government official's daughter to her captors.

Leaving Netflix in May 2024

Leaving 5/1/24

"Magic Mike's Last Dance"

Leaving 5/2/24

Leaving 5/3/24

Leaving 5/8/24

Leaving 5/9/24

Leaving 5/10/24

Leaving 5/11/24

"Sam Smith: Love Goes - Live at Abbey Road Studios"

Leaving 5/14/24

Leaving 5/19/24

Leaving 5/22/24

Leaving 5/26/24

Leaving 5/31/24

"Boyz n the Hood"

"Burlesque"

"The Choice"

"The Disaster Artist"

"Forever My Girl"

"The Great Gatsby"

"Happy Gilmore"

"The Hunger Games"

"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"

"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1"

"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2"

"The Impossible"

"Insidious"

"L.A. Confidential"

"Lakeview Terrace"

"The Mick" seasons 1-2

"Oh, Ramona!"

"The Other Guys"

"Silent Hill"

"Skyscraper"

"Think Like a Man"

"Think Like a Man Too"

"You've Got Mail"

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