carnival cruise ship crash

The FBI is investigating the fall of the Carnival cruise passenger who is missing after going overboard on his first cruise: report

• The FBI is investigating the fall of a Carnival cruise passenger who fell overboard on his first cruise, per Fox News Digital.
• 35-year-old Ronnie Lee Peale Jr. was returning to Virginia from the Bahamas at the time of the incident on Monday.

The United States Coast Guard said late on Wednesday that it has suspended search efforts for Peale.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the fall of a Carnival cruise passenger who fell overboard on his first cruise, Fox News Digital reported on Wednesday.

The passenger, 35-year-old Ronnie Lee Peale Jr., was on a Carnival cruise ship returning to Virginia from the Bahamas at the time of the incident.

He was reported missing by his fiancée late Monday afternoon, the cruise ship operator told Insider's Natalie Musumeci and Hannah Towey on Tuesday.

It was his first-ever cruise, his fiancée Jennilyn Michelle Blosser told WTKR.

Related stories

Insider could not reach the FBI via phone outside regular business hours. A spokesperson for the federal agency's Norfolk field office told Fox the FBI is the lead investigating agency for the incident.

"The FBI typically has jurisdiction to investigate incidents on the high seas and works closely with our partners in law enforcement and in the cruising industry to collect the evidence and facts of cases," the spokesperson told the media outlet.

"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," the US Coast Guard said in a statement.

Peale Jr. "loved the cruise life," Blosser told WTKR . "Being able to drink, gamble, and socialize put him in his happy place."

Carnival Cruise said in a statement to Insider on Tuesday that a review of close-circuit security video footage showed Peale Jr. "leaned over the railing of his stateroom balcony and dropped into the water at approximately 4:10 am early Monday morning."

• Main content

Carnival cruise assessing damage to 2 ships after collision

Six people sustained minor injuries after the collision, the cruise line said.

Six people sustained minor injuries after two Carnival Cruise Line ships collided Friday at a port in Cozumel, Mexico , according to the company.

Those injured presented themselves to the Carnival Glory medical center for evaluation following the incident, a statement from the cruise line read.

A Carnival Glory ship was attempting to dock in the morning when it hit a Carnival Legend ship, according to a statement from the cruise line.

"We are assessing the damage but there are no issues that impact the seaworthiness of either ship. We have advised guests from both ships to enjoy their day ashore in Cozumel," the statement added.

Megan Skora was in her room aboard a nearby cruise ship when she heard the crash.

"I couldn’t believe my eyes seeing what I did," Skora told ABC News, noting it was the "first time I've ever been scared on a cruise line."

Related Topics

Coast Guard searching for man who fell overboard from Carnival cruise ship near Florida

The Coast Guard is searching for a 35-year-old man who fell overboard while on a Carnival cruise ship near Florida on Monday, according to a statement .

The man was a passenger on the Carnival Magic cruise ship, which was about 186 miles east of Jacksonville when he fell into the water.

Security footage shows he leaned over the railing of his room balcony and fell into the water around 4:10 a.m. on Monday, the cruise corporation said in a statement.

He was reported missing by his companion late Monday afternoon.

Officials have not released any identifying information about the man other than his age.

The cruise ship was released by the Coast Guard from search and rescue efforts and will continue its way to Norfolk, Virginia, where it's scheduled to arrive Tuesday.

"The Carnival Care Team is providing support to the guest’s companion and traveling party who are on board," Carnival said.

The Coast Guard is using air and water assets to search for the passenger.

Breaking news reporter

latest in US News

Biden campaign mass hires veteran pollsters after survey shows...

Slayed Manhattan art dealer's husband must be extradited to...

Porch pirate disguised as trash bag caught on video stealing...

Watch woman go absolutely nuts as she’s dragged off Spirit...

Horrific moment man with epilepsy is tasered by cops mid-seizure:...

NY mom dies after tree falls on her car during storm in...

Crazy photos show boat sinking, lightning striking Statue of...

Bird flu pandemic could be '100 times worse' than COVID,...

Carnival cruise ship passenger falls overboard, found alive hours later.

• View Author Archive
• Get author RSS feed

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

A Carnival cruise ship passenger fell overboard into the Gulf of Mexico and was found alive against all odds on Thanksgiving Day — more than 15 hours after vanishing, officials said Friday.

“[It’s] just one of those Thanksgiving miracles,”  Lt. Seth Gross of the US Coast Guard, told CNN.

The missing 28-year-old man, who hasn’t been identified, was with his sister at the Carnival Valor’s bar at 11 p.m. Wednesday when he took a bathroom break and never came back, the outlet reported .

The sibling didn’t report her brother gone until noon the next day,  prompting the Cozumel, Mexico-bound ship to retrace its sailing path toward New Orleans Thursday, Carnival spokesperson Matt Lupoli told the outlet.

Carnival reported the incident to the US Coast Guard at around 2:30 p.m. and search crews quickly launched a rescue mission by land and sea over a 200-mile area. 

They found the passenger in the 70-degree water, about 20 miles south of  Louisiana’s Southwest Pass at 8:25 p.m. — after getting a tip from someone on a bulk carrier who’d spotted him, rescuers told the local station KPLC TV . 

The passenger — who was showing signs of hypothermia, shock and dehydration — told rescuers he wasn’t sure how he’d fallen overboard but confirmed he’d been on the cruise ship.

 The man was rushed to a hospital in New Orleans and was being evaluated, officials said. He was in stable condition Friday.

Footage from the rescue of the cruise ship passenger last night. Can also be downloaded here: https://t.co/xk0pBnVr1E pic.twitter.com/GK1IXCKlgx — USCG Heartland (@USCGHeartland) November 25, 2022

Overall, the lucky guy likely survived bobbing in the water for more than 15 hours — which Gross called “the absolute longest that I’ve heard about.”

“I think it kind of blows the norm, the normalcy, out of the water here, and really just shows the will to live is something that you need to account for in every search-and-rescue case,” he told CNN.

“He realistically could have been in the water for 15-plus hours before we were able to successfully rescue him,” Gross said.

He said it was unclear where the man fell in the water and how.

Share this article:

• New Terms of Use
• New Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Closed Caption Policy
• Accessibility Statement

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions . Legal Statement . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper .

Carnival Cruise Line gives possible cause of accident in Mexico, apologizes to guests

Carnival Cruise Line ships collide in Mexico

Two ships for Carnival Cruise collided at a port in Cozumel on Monday morning. The company confirmed that one passenger was injured during an evacuation.

In a letter sent to guests on Friday, Carnival Cruise Line apologized for an earlier accident in Cozumel, Mexico , during which the Carnival Glory came into contact with the Carnival Legend while docking , resulting in six passengers sustaining minor injuries.

The captain of the Carnival Glory also confirmed an investigation into the cause of the accident, which the company currently believes was due to “spontaneous wind gusts and strong currents.”

CRUISE LINE ENLISTS 'LOVE BOAT' AND 'BACHELORETTE' STARS FOR WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT

“Dear Carnival Glory Guest,” begins the letter, which is attributed to Carnival Glory Captain Pero Grubjesic. “Welcome back from your day ashore. We hope you enjoyed your time in Cozumel.”

The Carnival Glory cruise ship, right, crashes into the Carnival Legend on Friday morning. The cruise line currently believes the collision was caused by “spontaneous wind gusts and strong currents.” (Matthew Bruin/Reuters)

Grubjesic then apologized for that morning’s incident, which occurred as the Glory was “maneuvering” into its docking position, he said.

“A formal investigation is underway to confirm the cause of the accident, which we believe was due to spontaneous wind gusts and strong currents. The ship has been inspected by the required authorities and there are no issues that impact our ability to sail safely back to New Orleans.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Grubjesic also confirmed that the six guests who presented themselves for medical examination following the collision had already been treated and released.

“Once again, we apologize for the disruption this may have caused,” Grubjesic wrote. “We will be extending a US$100, per stateroom, onboard credit to your Sail & Sign account.”

The ship itself stayed docked in Cozumel shortly longer than anticipated, Carnival says, to “complete some of our work.” Carnival Cruise Line also confirmed that guests planning to dine in the Platinum Restaurant dining area that evening would be accommodated, presumably as a result of the incident.

The ship left port in Cozumel on Friday evening at approximately 9 p.m. CST.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

The initial incident, which Carnival is referring to as an allision as opposed to a collision (seeing as one of the ships was not actually moving at the time), took place on Friday morning at approximately 8:50 a.m.

Footage taken by onlookers shows the Carnival Glory maneuvering toward the dock alongside the Carnival Legend, scraping its stern against the Legend’s bow.

Carnival had initially received reports of one person injured while being evacuated from a dining area; five additional minor injuries were reported by Friday afternoon.

The Carnival Glory is due back in New Orleans on Dec. 22.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Janine Puhak contributed to this report.

Fun stories about food, relationships, the great outdoors and more.

You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

One Carnival Cruise Ship Hits Another, Injuring 6

The Carnival Glory crashed into the Carnival Legend while “maneuvering to dock” in Cozumel, Mexico, a spokeswoman for the cruise line said.

Carnival Cruise Ship Hits Another in Mexico

The bow of a cruise ship sliced through a deck of another ship near a port in cozumel, mexico..

“Here it goes. Through the windows.” [crash] “You got the video?” “Yup.” “In!” “He’s going to hit us next.” “Oh, he’s hitting us.” “I don’t know what to tell you.” “Get your video!” [arguing] [horn]

By Liam Stack

One Carnival cruise ship crashed into another while trying to dock at a port in Mexico on Friday, leaving six injured passengers, a damaged hull and a handful of expletive-laden social media videos in its wake.

The crash happened as the Carnival Glory cruise ship was “maneuvering to dock” in Cozumel, an island off the Caribbean coast of Mexico, and struck the Carnival Legend, which was already docked, Chelsea Stromfeld, a spokeswoman for the cruise line, said in an email.

Ms. Stromfeld said six passengers sustained “minor injuries,” including one who was hurt while a group of guests were evacuating a dining room on Decks 3 and 4.

“We are assessing the damage but there are no issues that impact the seaworthiness of either ship,” she wrote. “We have advised guests from both ships to enjoy their day ashore in Cozumel.”

Videos of the crash were captured by bystanders and shared widely on social media. They showed the nose of the Glory striking the back of the Legend, causing a great crashing sound and ripping a hole in the side of the ship.

“He’s going to hit us next!” a man can be heard yelling in one video . The video appeared to have been taken from the deck of another nearby cruise ship, but no additional crashes were reported on Friday.

The Carnival Glory is a Miami-based ship registered in Panama that has been carrying passengers since 2003, according to the cruise line . It carries about 1,150 crew members and has a maximum guest capacity of 3,756, but the company did not say how many people were on board at the time of the crash.

The Carnival Legend is a smaller ship. It carries about 930 crew members, can accommodate up to 2,610 guests and has been in service for the company since 2002. It is based in Tampa but registered in Malta, the cruise line said.

Liam Stack is a general assignment reporter. He was previously a political reporter based in New York and a Middle East correspondent based in Cairo. More about Liam Stack

Come Sail Away

Love them or hate them, cruises can provide a unique perspective on travel..

 Cruise Ship Surprises: Here are five unexpected features on ships , some of which you hopefully won’t discover on your own.

 Icon of the Seas: Our reporter joined thousands of passengers on the inaugural sailing of Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas . The most surprising thing she found? Some actual peace and quiet .

Th ree-Year Cruise, Unraveled:  The Life at Sea cruise was supposed to be the ultimate bucket-list experience : 382 port calls over 1,095 days. Here’s why  those who signed up are seeking fraud charges  instead.

TikTok’s Favorite New ‘Reality Show’:  People on social media have turned the unwitting passengers of a nine-month world cruise  into  “cast members”  overnight.

Dipping Their Toes: Younger generations of travelers are venturing onto ships for the first time . Many are saving money.

Cult Cruisers: These devoted cruise fanatics, most of them retirees, have one main goal: to almost never touch dry land .