The search of the U.S. Coast Guard for the Carnival Cruise Line passenger who went missing on Friday (May 13) after falling overboard from Carnival Liberty - nearly 195 miles off the coast of Galveston TX - enters its 3rd day Sunday, when the search resumes.
There is video of the traveler, identified as 33-year-old Samantha Broberg, falling overboard.
In a statement Saturday evening, the US Coast Guard outlined its efforts:
"Coast Guard aircrews continued searching through the day and into the evening Saturday, after beginning a search Friday for a woman who fell from a cruise ship about 200 miles southeast of Galveston, Texas...Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crews from Aviation Training Center Mobile, Alabama, and Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, have alternated sorties since beginning the search, saturating a 22 by 63 nautical mile area with a combined search area total of more than 3,000 square miles.
"The Ocean Sentry aircrews have stopped searching for the night and plan to resume at first light Sunday."
The USCG also confirmed that there was video of Broberg falling overboard:
"She was not found aboard the ship, but they reported that video showed her falling overboard from the 10th deck at around 2 a.m. After it was confirmed that she had fallen overboard, the crew contacted the Coast Guard at about 5 p.m."
On Friday, the initial statement of the Coast Guard said:
"Watchstanders with the 8th Coast Guard District command center received a call from the master of the Carnival Liberty stating that they had a video of a woman falling overboard around 2 a.m., and that they conducted an accountable search for all passengers. Broberg was found to be missing. The watchstanders directed the launch of Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Alabama HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew to conduct a search for Broberg."
On Saturday, the woman's family released a statement asking for privacy.
In a statement on Friday, Carnival Cruise Line said:
"Earlier today, a 33-year-old female guest on the cruise ship Carnival Liberty was reported missing by traveling companions. A ship-wide search was conducted along with a review of the ship’s camera footage. Unfortunately, it appears the guest may have gone overboard early this morning. Authorities were notified including the U.S. Coast Guard which is initiating a search effort in the area where the ship was located when the individual was last seen.
"Carnival’s CareTeam is providing support to the guest’s traveling companions and family. We are keeping our guest and her loved ones in our thoughts during this difficult time. Carnival Liberty departed Galveston, Texas on a four-day Mexico cruise on Thursday. The ship is based in Galveston year-round."