72-Year-Old Passenger Believed to Have Fallen Overboard From Ruby Princess Cruise Ship Near San Francisco

A tragic incident unfolded aboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship on Monday, December 1, as a 72-year-old American man is believed to have fallen overboard shortly before the vessel’s scheduled arrival in San Francisco.

Details of the Incident

The man, who was traveling alone, reportedly went overboard at approximately 6:50 a.m. The Ruby Princess, returning from a five-day round trip to Ensenada, Mexico, immediately launched a thorough search operation in collaboration with local authorities, according to a statement from Princess Cruises.

The cruise line disclosed that CCTV footage was extensively reviewed, and the ship was searched multiple times throughout the day. Despite exhaustive efforts, the search did not yield any results. “Having ruled out other possibilities, this is being treated as a man overboard incident,” Princess Cruises stated.

Investigation and Search Operations

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has taken over the investigation, while the U.S. Coast Guard spearheaded search operations. Loumania Stewart, a spokesperson for the Coast Guard, shared with ABC News that search crews were dispatched to an area approximately 45 miles off the coast of Monterey.

• At around 3 p.m., an aircrew aboard a C-27 aircraft departed from Sacramento to initiate the search.
• Shortly after, at 4 p.m., another team aboard a helicopter launched from San Francisco to assist in the operation.

Further details from the Coast Guard are pending, as the agency has not immediately responded to requests for additional information.

Response From Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises expressed its condolences to the family and friends of the missing passenger. “The man was traveling alone, and his identity has not yet been released,” the company confirmed in its statement.

The remaining passengers aboard the Ruby Princess disembarked in San Francisco as planned on December 1. Later that evening, the cruise ship departed on a new 16-day voyage to the Hawaiian Islands.

Safety Concerns on Cruise Ships

This incident raises questions about passenger safety aboard cruise ships, where overboard incidents, though rare, can pose significant challenges for timely recovery efforts. While cruise lines like Princess Cruises emphasize robust safety protocols, this tragedy highlights the importance of continued vigilance and preventive measures.

The situation is still under investigation, and updates are expected as authorities gather more information.