A passenger has died after jumping from the world's largest cruise ship during the first night of his week-long voyage, officials have confirmed. The unidentified man jumped from Royal Caribbean's new Icon of the Seas, which is 1,200 feet long and accommodates 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members.
The incident occurred shortly after the ship left Florida for Honduras on Sunday morning, according to the Coast Guard. One passenger described the scene as almost surreal as most travelers continued to party as if nothing had happened even after the man was pulled out dead from the sea. The ship is not due back in Miami until June 1, officials said.
Jumped to His Death While Vacationing
"The cruise ship deployed one of their rescue boats, located the man and brought him back aboard," the Coast Guard said.
"He was pronounced deceased. Beyond assisting in the search, the US Coast Guard did not have much involvement in this incident," the agency added.
Royal Caribbean told The New York Post: "The ship's crew immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard and launched a search and rescue operation.
"Our Care Team is actively providing support and assistance to the guest's loved ones during this difficult time."
According to CruiseHive, the ship was approximately 300 miles from Port Miami at the time of the incident. The ship halted for about two hours as crew members assisted the Coast Guard in their search and rescue operation.
The jumper was brought back onboard in critical condition before succumbing to his injuries, according to the report.
Strange Scene
A passenger described the "dystopian" scene on the world's largest cruise ship after a man went overboard — including the premature celebration that broke out when passengers heard he was pulled from the water.
Zachary Normandin, 31, told The New York Post that around 300 passengers dining on Royal Caribbean's new Icon of the Seas cheered when the captain announced that the missing traveler had been found.
"Everyone in the dining room clapped and we're like 'yeah,'" the Connecticut resident said. "We assumed that the guy was fine."
However, it later became known that the passenger had died, and the 1,200-foot cruise ship continued on its voyage.
"I don't think everyone knows about the guy dying. I think it's kind of purposely silenced," Normandin said, adding he doesn't think Royal Caribbean wants to scare anyone.
Guests aboard the ship have shared videos of the rescue mission, with some expressing shock that the man was initially found alive.
Others shared clips of the rescue boats heading away from the ship to retrieve the passenger.
The Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, made its maiden voyage in January of this year.
