Coast Guard crews have at this time suspended their search at approximately 2:30 p.m., Thursday for a missing Royal Caribbean cruise ship Harmony of the Seas crewmember 267 miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.
The reported missing team member has been named as Arron Hough, 20, of the United Kingdom.
The United States Coast Guard based out of San Juan, Puerto Rico received a notification from the cruise ship on Tuesday at approximately 1:45 p.m., stating a crewmember had reportedly went overboard.
“We’ve been in contact with members of Mr. Hough’s family
throughout our search efforts and know this is a very difficult
and painful time for them,”
said Cmdr. Christopher Douglas, Coast Guard Sector San Juan chief of response.
“Suspending a search is one of the most difficult decisions we have to
make as first responders, and it is never made lightly.”
Coast Guard rescue crews were composed of Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules airplanes, Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplanes and the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Resolute (WMEC-620), homeported in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Crews searched for approximately 83 hours covering 3,707 square miles.
Royal Caribbean said a member of its entertainment team on the Harmony of the Seas ship did not report to work as scheduled on Tuesday 25 December.
The company added: “We are saddened to report that after a review of the ship’s closed-circuit camera footage, he was observed entering an area on Deck 5 at around 4am and was not seen again.
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The company says its care team is providing support to the family, adding that its “thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time”.
Harmony of the Seas is currently sailing on a seven-night itinerary that left Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday.
