Featured Image Credit: Twitter/@matthew_kuhn
Topics: News, US News, Royal Caribbean
Gregory Robinson
The moment a cruise ship passenger survived a terrifying fall from the ship's 10th deck was caught on camera.
The 42-year-old woman who was travelling on the Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas ship went overboard on Sunday (June 25), around 27 nautical miles south of Punta Cana, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Crew members quickly launched a rescue mission to find the passenger after she went overboard.
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The incredible moment she was rescued was filmed by Matthew Kuhn and shared on social media, just days after guests on a different Royal Caribbean ship had to run for shelter as furniture flew through the air in a freak storm.
Kuhn's video shows what appears to be a few empty life rafts next to some smoke from flares. Guests travelling onboard the cruise ship watched anxiously hoping to see a sign of the missing passenger.
Thankfully, the rescue team were able to find the unfortunate passenger and pick her up and take her to safety.
Kuhn spoke to Fox35 about the ordeal and admitted he feared the worst.
“After we saw the life rafts or the life preservers and the smoke - I was like, someone just died,” he said.
The entire rescue mission took about 45 minutes, according to reports.
"I think it was amazing to see everyone was on their balcony. Everyone was trying to help, and the crew was very receptive to everyone," Kuhn added.
The passengers cheered together once the woman was rescued. Some reportedly watched the mission unfold through binoculars.
Despite the terrifying and steep fall, the woman did not require any medical attention, however she was transported to the hospital for evaluation.
The cruise ship continued its journey after the rescue mission and is set to return to Port Canaveral on July 1.
The U.S. Coast Guard released a statement which read: “Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan received a report from the Cruise Ship Mariner of the Seas at approximately 5:44 p.m. Sunday that the ship’s crew had rescued a female passenger, 42, U.S. citizen, who had gone overboard.
"The cruise ship was transiting approximately 27 nautical miles south of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic when the incident occurred and was en route to Willemstad, Curaçao."
A statement shared with UNILAD from Royal Caribbean confirmed the incident and said the guest is now being cared for. The statement read: "On Sunday, June 25, a guest went overboard on Mariner of the Seas. The ship and crew immediately reported the incident to local authorities and began searching for the guest. Thankfully, the guest was successfully recovered and was brought on board. Our Care team is now offering assistance and support to them and their traveling party. Out of privacy for the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share. Mariner of the Seas continued its scheduled itinerary."