What happens when someone goes overboard on a cruise ship?

Incidents are rare on a voyage but here is what happens if someone falls off a vessel

Cruise ships have strict procedures if there is a man overboard incident (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Passengers rarely fall off cruise ships, but cases attract plenty of attention when they happen.

The latest incident involves Kimberly Burch, fiancée of Faster Pussycat singer Taime Downe, who is presumed dead after she reportedly fell overboard from a Royal Caribbean 1980s-themed cruise from Miami.

Other recent cases include a 72-year-old man is believed to have died after falling overboard in early December following a Princess Cruises voyage to Mexico. A passenger on MSC Virtuosa died after going overboard in October 2024 during a sailing from Alderney in the Channel Islands to Southampton.

In August 2024, a passenger reportedly fell from Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas near Croatia and was never found, while another passenger died earlier this year after jumping off Icon of the Seas.

There have been other incidents in recent years but these cases are very much in the minority and cruise lines have strict measures in place to keep people safe and help launch a rescue when there is a man overboard.

Andy Harmer, director of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), told The Independent: “A cruise holiday is one of the safest forms of travel. Cruise ships today are the safest that ever sailed, thanks to the rules, regulations and technological innovations that govern their design. There are no known cases of someone acting responsibly who has accidentally fallen over the railing of a cruise ship.”

How often do people fall off cruise ships?

Of all the tannoy announcements you may hear on a cruise, “Code Oscar” can be one of the most scary for passengers and crew.

This message alerts crew members when someone falls off a cruise ship, known as man overboard.

Despite the media coverage, passengers very rarely fall off a cruise ship.

Data from the CLIA shows that between 2009 and 2019, there were 212 man overboard incidents on cruise ships. That works out to roughly 19 each year.

More recent data from the CruiseJunkie blog up to this year puts the figure at 417. This is still a tiny amount compared with the 32 million who went on a cruise in 2023.

Cruise blogger Emma Le Teace, who runs the Emma Cruises YouTube channel, says this makes your chance of falling overboard on a cruise around 1 in 1.4 million.

She said: “Luckily, it is almost impossible to fall off a cruise ship. There are still people who manage to fall accidentally – usually while doing something silly or dangerous.”

Can you fall off a cruise ship?

Technically you can fall off a cruise ship. Research by the CLIA shows that in every man overboard incident recorded between 2009 and 2019, it was found to be an “intentional or reckless act.”

Legal expert Brad Huffman adds that cruise line liability can be complicated if there is a man overboard incident.

He said: “While they have a legal duty to maintain passenger safety, cruise line liability is often capped by the fine print in their ticket contracts, which few passengers fully read or understand.

“Maritime law gives them a certain amount of leeway, so a family’s options for seeking compensation can be limited.”

What happens if you see someone fall off a cruise ship?

One of the first things you will be asked to do on a cruise ship is attend a safety briefing or watch a video that explains what happens if there is an issue.

The procedure across most ships if you see someone fall into the water is to shout “man overboard”

For example, Princess Cruises advises guests in its pre-cruise pack to alert a crew member if someone goes overboard and throw a lifebuoy or anything that will float.

Some ships have sensor systems to detect if someone goes overboard, while ships that go in and out of US ports with more than 250 passengers are required to have cameras so someone can be easily located if they fall.

The general procedure if someone falls off a cruise is to stop the ship, while outer decks may be closed.

Rescue boats will enter the water and the coastguard will be contacted, while other nearby ships will also be notified to keep a lookout.

Unfortunately, CLIA data shows that out of the 212 incidents between 2009 and 2019, just 48 – or 28.2 per cent – ended in a successful rescue.

What safety measures are in place to stop people falling off a cruise ship?

The rescue rate may look scary but it is pretty hard to fall off a cruise ship.

The vessels may be getting taller and more intricate, such as Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, but all ships are designed with safety in mind.

The outer decks have glass-panelled railings, which must be at least 42 inches tall, while balconies must be at least one metre high.

Harmer adds: “Cruise lines are highly regulated with robust enforcement. The average ship undergoes dozens of announced and unannounced safety inspections per year, involving hundreds of man hours and covering thousands of specific requirements set by the International Maritime Organisation.”

Passengers, of course, have to be responsible and avoid dangerous acts such as climbing over balconies and running on slippery decks, especially after a few drinks, but in most cases you should be able to have a smooth sailing without worrying about falling off a cruise ship.

Read more: The best cruises from Southampton