Crew member dead after going overboard Regal Princess cruise ship

A crew member has died after going overboard from a Regal Princess cruise ship off the coast of Cancún on Monday, according to the cruise line.

In a statement to Global News on Tuesday, Princess Cruises said it is “deeply saddened to confirm the passing of a Princess crew member who has gone overboard from Regal Princess.”

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the crew’s family and friends during this difficult time. Grief support services are being offered to guests and crew members affected by this event. Princess Cruises thanks the local maritime authorities and our colleagues from Carnival Jubilee who assisted in search and rescue efforts,” the statement added.

The cruise line said the Regal Princess has resumed its voyage and departed the waters off Cancún, with arrival in Belize scheduled for July 14.

“Following adjustments to the itinerary, Cozumel has been added back to the voyage and is now scheduled for July 16. Regal Princess remains on her seven-day Caribbean sailing and is expected to return to Fort Lauderdale as scheduled on July 18,” the cruise line added.

The statement from Princess Cruises comes after the cruise line told CBS News that the crew member was unaccounted for and that an extensive search-and-rescue operation was underway.

A passenger on the ship told the outlet that the search lasted more than eight hours and the cruise line confirmed that the crew member had died.

“No details were given. We don’t know who he is,” the passenger said.

It remains unclear how the crew member went overboard the 19-deck cruise ship.

Princess Cruises made headlines earlier this month after more than 120 passengers and crew members fell sick during a norovirus outbreak on the Ruby Princess cruise ship, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC said 102 passengers and 23 crew members reported becoming ill during the voyage on the Ruby Princess, which took place from June 12 to July 2 from San Francisco to Canada and Alaska.

In response to the outbreak, Princess Cruises and the crew aboard the ship reported increased cleaning and disinfection procedures in accordance with its outbreak prevention and response plan, the agency said.

The Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), which helps the cruise ship industry prevent and control the introduction and spread of gastrointestinal illnesses on ships, was consulted about sanitation cleaning procedures and reporting illness cases.

Norovirus is highly contagious and thrives in places where people gather in close quarters, making cruise ships susceptible to outbreaks.