On Tuesday, December 17th, a crew member from RCI-Royal Caribbean’s ship Vision of the Seas went overboard during the final days of a 12-night Southern Caribbean cruise.
Vision OTS, en route to Baltimore (Maryland USA) immediately implemented a "Code OSCAR" protocol, signaling an overboard emergency. The vessel reversed course and deployed rescue boats to conduct a search operation in the Atlantic Ocean.
Passengers reported on the situation through photos and updates as the crew executed a search and rescue effort.
The missing individual, identified as a 23-year-old Mauritian man from Camp-de-Masque-Pave, was part of the ship’s maintenance team.
The alert was raised ~1:00 p.m. EST, prompting swift action by the crew and subsequent involvement by maritime authorities. Despite search efforts lasting 8+ hours, the operation faced challenges from rough seas, and darkness forced the suspension of the ship's direct involvement. Control of the search transitioned to the USCG/Coast Guard, allowing Vision OTS to continue her journey.
The ship, carrying 2514 passengers, left Baltimore on December 7th for a roundtrip itinerary with scheduled stops in St Croix, St Maarten, St Lucia, Dominica, and St. Kitts, and returned to homeport Baltimore on December 19th.
For more Vision of the Seas incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.