UPDATE: The man who went overboard from Seven Seas Mariner has been recovered in waters off southwest Vancouver Island and pronounced dead in hospital. The USCG said a helicopter rescue crew had found the man unresponsive in the water close to the Strait of Juan de Fuca Tuesday afternoon. He was transferred to local emergency medical personnel waiting onshore and then to a medical centre where he was declared dead.
The US Coast Guard (USCG) is searching for a 73-year-old passenger who reportedly went overboard from an RSSC-Regent cruise ship returning to Port Vancouver.
USCG Pacific Northwest officials announced that multiple crews were searching for the man who “potentially fell overboard” from Seven Seas Mariner, which was sailing along the coast of Cape Flattery, close to Strait of Juan de Fuca. The accident took place in American waters.
The passenger was last seen by his wife at 4:00 a.m. who reported she was woken up by “a breeze coming from the balcony door cracked open.”
The captain of the ship also confirmed there was video footage showing the man “jumping” from the 8th-deck balcony at 4:15 am.
However, the US Coast Guard clarified there had been no confirmation that the passenger had jumped, or if he had fallen.
USCG dispatched the crew of Cutter Wahoo, Station Neah Bay boat crew, and Air Station Port Angeles/Sector Field Office aircrew to conduct the search.
The 11-night voyage departed Vancouver June 30. Seven Seas Mariner was due to arrive in Victoria BC July 10 and back in Vancouver BC July 11.
For other Seven Seas Mariner accidents and incidents see at the ship's CruiseMinus page.