Coast Guard Rescue Ends for Celebrity Summit Cruise Member

CruiseNews · January 2, 2012

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The Coast Guard suspended a search, pending further developments, for a missing Celebrity Summit cruise ship crewmember Monday night off the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico.

Missing is a 30-year-old woman, Filipino national, who worked as a bartender aboard the cruise ship and reportedly was last seen jumping overboard Sunday morning, approximately six and a half nautical miles off the northeastern coast of Culebra Island, Puerto Rico.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of the missing crewmember," said Capt. Drew W. Pearson, Sector San Juan commander.

The Celebrity Summit was transiting from San Juan, Puerto Rico to the eastern-most Caribbean island of Barbados at the time the incident occurred.

Coast Guard Watchstanders received notification of the incident from the cruise ship at approximately 12:50 a.m. Sunday.

Since the search began Sunday, Coast Guard rescue crews conducted 10 aerial and seven surface searches, spanning out approximately 2,000 square nautical miles, covering a total search area approximately two thirds the size of Puerto Rico. Coast Guard rescue crews conducted the search aboard MH-65 Dolphin helicopters from Air Station Borinquen, Aguadilla, an HC-130 aircraft from Clearwater Fla., a Coast Guard 45-foot response boat medium and the Coast Guard Cutter Cushing. A Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine unit also assisted with the search efforts.

Coast Guard Cutter Cushing is a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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