Nine 'man overboard' incidents have been reported on cruise ships so far this year, according to media monitoring site Cruise Junkie. These incidents include both passengers and crew members.
In the latest reported case, a passenger was discovered missing from Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition on 21 August while the ship was sailing in the North Sea. A man’s body was later found.
Other incidents this year include a 77-year-old woman who went overboard from Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam on New Year’s Day during a Caribbean cruise. The search for her was abandoned after eight hours.
Between 2009 and 2019, there were 212 'man overboard' incidents on cruise ships, averaging approximately 19 per year, according to data from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). More recent figures from Cruise Junkie for 2000 to the end of August 2026 show 440 incidents.
Andy Harmer, director of CLIA, stated that a cruise holiday is one of the safest forms of travel. He added that cruise ships are designed with safety measures, including railings that must be at least 42 inches tall on outer decks and balconies at least one metre high.
If someone falls overboard, the procedure across most ships is to shout “man overboard” and alert a crew member. Rescue boats will be deployed, the coastguard contacted, and nearby ships notified. CLIA data from 2009 to 2019 indicates that only 48 out of 212 incidents, or 28.2 per cent, resulted in a successful rescue.