Search for man missing from Carnival Elation cruise ship called off

The US Coast Guard has suspended their search for a man who went overboard from the Carnival Elation cruise ship southwest of the Bahamas

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The search for a 24-year-old man, who went overboard from the Carnival Elation cruise ship on Monday morning, has been suspended.

Kevin Welles, who is from Warner Robins, Georgia, was reported missing by his wife at 0830 on 13 February 2017 after the ship had docked in Nassau, Bahamas.

She had last seen him hours earlier at 0230.

The crew of Carnival Elation reviewed closed-circuit TV which showed that Wellons went overboard from the 11th deck of the cruise ship at around 0245.

At the time, the ship was about 15 miles southwest of Abaco, Bahamas.

The US Coast Guard Seventh District Command Center co-ordinated the search, which covered more than 1,381 square miles.

It was eventually called off at 2030 on 14 February 2017.

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In a statement, the US Coast Guard said: “The Coast Guard suspended their search at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday for a man who reportedly went overboard Monday from the Carnival Elation cruise ship about 15 miles southwest of Abaco, Bahamas.”

“A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew deployed to Great Inagua and HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crews from Air Station Miami covered more than 1,381 square miles over nine hours searching for Robins,” continued the statement.

“Watch standers with the Coast Guard Seventh District Command Center received notification at approximately 11 a.m. Monday from the Carnival Elation cruise ship that Wellons was reportedly seen going overboard from the 11th deck on the ship’s closed circuit television.”

“The Elation received the report of the missing passenger at approximately 8:30 a.m. Monday from the passenger’s wife when the ship moored in Nassau,” concluded the statement.

Carnival Elation was sailing from Jacksonville, Florida to its first port of call in Nassau, Bahamas, when the incident happened.

It had departed on 12 February, 2017 for a five-day cruise.