The Coast Guard last night suspended the search for a 23-year-old Brandon Paul of Floral City who went overboard from Carnival Victory north of Cuba early Wednesday.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Brandon Paul," Coast Guard search and rescue mission coordinator Chris Eddy said in a statement.
"Making the choice to suspend a search is never an easy decision and one the Coast Guard doesn't take lightly, and despite our best efforts, we were unable to reunite Paul with his family."
Paul, of Florida City, reportedly fell from the eighth deck of the Carnival Victory cruise ship at approximately 3 a.m. on Wednesday, as the ship was 33 miles northwest of Pinar Del Rio, Cuba.
The search effort involved Cuban search and rescue authorities as well as two Coast Guard planes and a cutter, the Coast Guard said. The search lasted for 16 hours and covered 3,469 square miles before it was suspended at 7:31 p.m., according to the Coast Guard.