In response to the impact of Hurricane Idalia, the ship Wonder of the Seas underwent a route adjustment, which was further disrupted on Tuesday evening due to an incident involving an individual falling overboard. At around 7:55 pm (CST), an announcement was made to inform passengers that an individual had either fallen or intentionally entered the sea.
Passengers aboard the Wonder OTS conveyed that the Captain's communication outlined a search operation, following the established Oscar call procedure in line with RCI-Royal Caribbean International's protocol for a man overboard scenario. The ship altered course and dispatched a rescue boat to search for the missing person.
Swiftly, the large vessel executed a course reversal, returning to the precise location of the man overboard incident. The crew initiated a comprehensive search and rescue operation, deploying a rescue craft to facilitate the search for the individual. Unfortunately, the nocturnal conditions hindered the search efforts. During the evening, the ship conducted systematic circular sweeps to the south of Santiago de Cuba. Subsequently, the Cuban Coast Guard (Tropas Guardafronteras/Border Troops) continued the search and rescue operation, while Wonder OTS resumed her planned route.
Initial reports indicated that the individual had jumped from deck 11 into the sea. To thoroughly investigate the incident, RCI will analyze video footage and gather testimony from passengers. The outcome of the search and rescue operation conducted on Tuesday evening remains undisclosed.
Following the initial port of call at Coco Cay Bahamas, Wonder OTS was compelled to adjust her route due to the impact of Hurricane Idalia. Consequently, Roatan Island Honduras was omitted from the itinerary. The person overboard incident and the ensuing rescue operation in the Caribbean Sea have caused a temporal disruption to the ship's schedule. As per the current status, the ship is anticipated to reach Cozumel Mexico on Thursday morning, August 31st.
For more Wonder of the Seas incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.