cruise ship death quantum

Search suspended for cruise ship passenger who fell overboard off Hawaii

Coast Guard crews have suspended the search for an Australian cruise ship passenger off the coast of Hawaii following a report of a person overboard, officials said Thursday.

“After reviewing all relevant information of the case and discussing it with the next of kin, the Coast Guard has made the difficult decision to suspend the active search for the passenger aboard the Quantum of the Seas,” said Kevin Cooper, a search and rescue mission coordinator for the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu. 

The cruise ship Quantum of the Seas reported a person overboard at 11:03 p.m. Tuesday local time to the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu, the Coast Guard said in a news release Wednesday. 

“The crew of the cruise ship remained on scene to search for approximately two hours, deploying six life rings,” the release said. 

On Wednesday, an air search with the Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point C-130 Hercules aircrew launched at 7 a.m. and arrived on scene at 9 a.m. local time, searching about 500 miles south of Kailua-Kona, Big Island.

After six hours the crew returned to the air station for fuel replenishment. Officials said said Thursday that the search had been suspended.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean confirmed that a passenger went overboard.

"The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities," the spokesperson said.

The sprawling cruise ship has 16 decks and fits 4,905 guests and 1,500 crew members, according to its website . 

Quantum of the Seas departed Brisbane, Australia, on April 12 and is scheduled to arrive in Honolulu on Friday.

Breaking News Reporter

Brisbane man missing after falling overboard from Quantum of the Seas cruise ship near Hawaii, US Coast Guard confirms

The US Coast Guard said it will resume its search at first light on Friday morning local time, for a Brisbane man who went overboard from a cruise ship off Hawaii on Wednesday night.

Key points:

• Life rings, search vessels, and lights were used overnight to try to locate the missing man 
• A fellow passenger described the ordeal as "very traumatic and sad" 
• Royal Caribbean staff have been described as "amazing" throughout the process

The ship, the Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, halted its course after the incident, which took place about 500 nautical miles south of Hawaii's Big Island, and took part in the initial search for about two hours.

The cruise ship has since continued its course. 

Aimee West, from Mount Isa, and her partner were on the cruise.

"There was a lot of commotion on the boat. It all started at about 9pm," she told ABC North West. 

"There were a few medical emergencies so the loudspeaker was going off quite a lot.

"At about 11pm, midnight, we observed the vessel slowing down and turning around on our maps.

"We saw about five life rings that were floating in the ocean and there were search vessels and lots of lights on the water.

"They broadcast several times that there was a suspected man overboard situation and that the crews were following their procedures.

"They requested all guests return to their cabins and account for all their members and if someone was missing, to call 911 on our emergency systems here if we were missing a passenger.

"We were messaging our friends to make sure they had everyone in their party.

"To be real, for me personally it was very surreal and quite sad. It was quite confronting, we were all out trying to spot anything to help the staff.

"But it was very sad going to bed, that's for sure."

The mood on the ship was quite sombre, Ms West said.

"You can tell the crew is trying to do their best to keep spirits up for everyone else on board for the rest of their trip.

"Everyone kind of realises it's very traumatic and sad and you feel for the families involved.

"We were awake until about 1.30am and they were still searching."

Brad Hardy, from Mount Isa, said he was on deck 14 of the cruise ship when he heard the emergency broadcast.

"All the staff just dropped everything and ran to every possible vantage point on the ship," Mr Hardy said.

"We looked out of the window up on the deck and [saw] a lot of life preservers … the big rings were getting thrown overboard, at least eight or nine of those got thrown overboard.

"The ship slowed right down and then did a hard turn to the left and doubled back.

"The search lights were on from the ship's bridge as well, they rapidly deployed their 'runabout' rescue vessel off the ship and then spent the next couple of hours in the water searching around.

"Probably around 1am we started moving again.

Gayle Doe, from New South Wales, is also on board and described the ordeal as "scary and unsettling". 

"We were sitting at the bar at 11 o'clock last night when we heard 'Oscar, Oscar, Oscar' which is the code for man overboard," Ms Doe said.

"There were a lot of announcements, telling us that the ship was being turned around, most people could feel the ship had changed course, it was a bit bumpy in the water.

"The crew went into their training mode, they threw lifebuoys out into the sea and they deployed their … lifesaving boats.

"Of course, it was night-time – it was black, so they had lots of spotlights on the ocean … but weren't successful [in finding the man].

"We've been told the coast guard and helicopters are still out searching in the ocean, in the area where the man went."

She said there was "a lot of sadness" on board the ship on Thursday.

"There are people who have been crying," Ms Doe said.

She said the cruise ship captain had been providing regular updates over the loudspeaker and had just confirmed there would be no further updates.

Cruise staff 'amazing'

Ms West said the Royal Caribbean cruise staff "were amazing" and have kept all passengers updated throughout the ordeal.

"We even witnessed staff when, we were in Tahiti [earlier], practising retrievals in the water," she said.

"The staff were all out on safety posts, there was not a space or inch on the boat where there wasn't a staff member shining a torch in the water."

The Honolulu Command Centre has confirmed that the person missing is an Australian man, but provided no further details.

A Royal Caribbean Cruise Line spokesperson confirmed the Quantum of the Seas departed Brisbane on April 12 and is scheduled to arrive in Honolulu on April 28.

"While on its trans-Pacific sailing, a guest onboard Quantum of the Seas went overboard," the spokesperson said.

"The ship's crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities."

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Search suspended for Australian man who went overboard from cruise ship on way to Hawaii

US Coast Guard sent a HC-130 Hercules to hunt for man, who was onboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas

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The search for an Australian man who went overboard from a cruise ship in a remote area of the Pacific has been called off for the day, after a US Coast Guard plane exhausted its fuel supply.

A passenger went overboard from Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas before 11pm Tuesday night, local time, two days before it was due to arrive in Honolulu. The ship left Brisbane on 12 April and was about 900km south of Hawaii at the time of the incident.

The ship launched a search and rescue operation which lasted two hours. The US Coast Guard received the report from Royal Caribbean at 1am Hawaii time, and launched a Hercules aircraft at 7am Wednesday which reached the search area at 9am. The US Coast Guard is preparing to resume the search at first light on Thursday morning local time.

Spokesperson for the 14th district coast guard based in Honolulu, Ryan Fisher, said the Hercules was the only asset on the scene conducting a search.

The plane completed five search patterns, which involved tracking drift patterns in the ocean using locator beacons, but was unable to find the man.

With six hours’ of fuel, the plane ended its search at 3pm local time, Fisher said. Search efforts will resume the next morning.

No other aircraft were available to continue the search, including the US navy, who were contacted, Fisher said. The coast guard issued an urgent call to any ships in the area that might be able to help.

Fisher confirmed the Australian went overboard 500 nautical miles (926km) south of Hawaii’s Big Island.

Georgina Thompson , a passenger on board the Quantum of the Seas, said she and her husband were in bed when they heard “Oscar Oscar Oscar” – Royal Caribbean’s emergency code for man overboard .

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Thompson told Nine’s Today Show she and her husband then went out on their deck to see the lights and lifeboats deployed, but at the time didn’t know what was happening.

“The light started searching along the outside of the ship, shining along the outside right down the bottom. We were watching it. It lit up the whole ocean. Well, most of the ocean. But it was very dark.”

“You just knew that something was wrong.”

Thompson said her husband thought the ship had stopped because it hit something, “but then we realised that there was someone overboard.”

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The mood at breakfast the next morning she said was “very sombre”.

Two travel bloggers on board the Quantum of the Seas recounted on Instagram that they felt the ship turning around shortly after 11pm and an announcement was made for passengers to return to their cabins and make sure all their party were accounted for.

They said a final announcement was made at 12.30am that the ship would reopen and passengers could leave their cabins.

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Gale Doyle, another passenger told ABC news she knew the calls of “Oscar Oscar Oscar” meant a person was overboard because she has been cruising extensively.

“Eventually they started calling a person’s name, it was a male. They called the person’s name several times so we assumed this person is the missing person,” Doyle said.

The passengers had received no news about the man the next morning, she said.

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Girlfriend shares heart-breaking confession after Australian man Warwick Tollemache fell overboard cruise ship

The “devastated” girlfriend of Brisbane man Warwick Tollemache, who fell overboard a cruise ship near Hawaiian waters, has shared a heart-breaking admission after the search for her "kind, beautiful, and gentle" partner was suspended.

The heartbroken girlfriend of the Australian man who went overboard a cruise ship has shared a devastating confession.

Thirty-five-year-old Warwick Tollemache was on board the Quantum of the Seas on route to Honolulu when he fell and went missing near Hawaiian waters on Tuesday evening (local time).

A search was immediately conducted, involving the United States Coast Guards and Navy, but was called off on Thursday when they failed to locate him.

He is presumed dead by his family, but his girlfriend still holds out slight hope.

Brisbane woman Celina La Roche told the Courier Mail she has been dating Mr Tollemache “on and off” for six years and was crushed that the search for him was suspended.

“They should have kept looking – I don’t understand why they stopped the search,” she said on Friday.

“I’m just devastated.”

The US Coast Guard in a statement confirmed they made the “difficult decision” to end the search after discussions with the next of kin.  

In a heart-breaking admission, Ms La Roche revealed she was meant to go on the cruise with him, but work got in the way.

He went with his mother, Mandy, instead.

“We were talking in the morning (before the tragedy), we were making plans for another trip,” Ms La Roche said.

“I was still hoping until I heard they’d stopped the search and now… he could still be alive in the middle of nowhere.

“I won’t have closure personally until they find him. He knows how to float in water, we did it together when we were snorkelling.

“But his mum told me straight away, ‘He’s gone,’ so I just thought, ‘That’s it, he’s dead’.”

In a statement to social media, Mr Tollemache’s mother Mandy remembered him as a “gentle soul”.

“Our family is heartbroken at the loss of our beloved Warwick,” she wrote.

“He was a kind, beautiful, and gentle soul who was adored by everyone who knew him. He will be deeply missed.

“We kindly ask for privacy during this difficult time. Thank you for your understanding.”

Royal Caribbean Cruises, who operate the cruise ship, said their “thoughts and deepest sympathies” were with his loved ones.

“While on its trans-pacific sailing, a guest onboard Quantum of the Seas went overboard,” it said in an earlier statement.

“The ship's crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and worked closely with local authorities.

“Out of respect for the family, we will not share further details about this unfortunate event. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his loved ones at this time.”

While it is still unknown how Mr Tollemache fell, passenger Ken Carcas told Sky News Australia that, according to multiple passengers, “two crew saw him go overboard".

"A lady heard a scream, went out onto the balcony and saw him drop past, hit the tender below and fall into the water," he said on Thursday.

He added the captain immediately alerted crews of the incident and begun the search.

The cruise ship Quantum of the Seas will arrive at the final stop of Honolulu on Friday, after departing from Brisbane more than two weeks ago on April 12.

The tragedy came just hours after the death of a woman on board the same cruise, who suffered a medical emergency, in an unrelated incident. 

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Search suspended for man overboard on cruise ship hundreds of miles away from Hawaii

The Australian man had been missing since Tuesday night.

The U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday it has suspended its search for a cruise ship passenger from Australia who went overboard a few hundred miles off the coast of Hawaii.

The incident occurred at approximately 11:03 p.m. Tuesday night, when the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu received a report from the Quantum of the Seas cruise ship that a man had gone overboard about 500 miles south of Kailua Kona, Big Island, according to the Coast Guard.

MORE: FBI investigating 'suspicious death' of woman on Carnival cruise ship

The cruise ship's crew searched for approximately two hours, deploying six life rings, the Coast Guard said.

A Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point C-130 Hercules aircrew launched at 7 a.m. on Wednesday morning and arrived on the scene at approximately 9 a.m. but did not have any luck finding the missing man after completing five searches.

The search resumed Thursday morning, before the Coast Guard announced it has suspended the active search later that day.

"After reviewing all relevant information of the case and discussing with our Australian consulate counterparts as well as with the next of kin, the Coast Guard has made the difficult decision to suspend the active search for the passenger aboard the Quantum of the Seas," Kevin Cooper, a search and rescue mission coordinator for the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu, said in a statement.

MORE: Fisherman missing after going overboard while hooking 'huge' tuna on fishing trip

Quantum of the Seas departed from Brisbane, Australia, on April 12 and is scheduled to arrive in Honolulu on April 28.

Royal Caribbean -- who operates Quantum of the Seas -- also released a statement on Wednesday confirming the missing passenger.

MORE: 9-year-old boy missing after falling off pontoon boat, being hit by propeller

"While on its trans-pacific sailing, a guest onboard Quantum of the Seas went overboard," Royal Caribbean said. "The ship's crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities."

Authorities did not give any further details on how the man may have ended up going overboard.

ABC News' Clara McMichael contributed to this report.

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Australian man falls overboard from cruise ship en route to hawaii.

Australian man missing after going overboard from a cruise ship

UPDATE: The man who fell overboard has been identified by his family. Read more here.

EARLIER : There are grave fears for an Australian man missing from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship en route to Hawaii, as the United States Coast Guard prepares to resume a search at first light.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Australian man missing after going overboard from a cruise ship.

The passenger went overboard on the Quantum of the Seas in the Pacific Ocean about 800km south of Kailua-Kona, on the west coast of O’ahu also known as Big Island, at 11.03pm on Tuesday (Wednesday night AEST).

The cruise company has now confirmed a woman died from a medical episode just hours before the man disappeared.

There were unconfirmed reports the woman was the man’s partner. However, Royal Caribbean has quashed the claims, saying the incidents were not connected.

The ship had departed Brisbane on April 12 for a two-week cruise to the Hawaiian Islands before tragedy struck with a huge air and sea search so far failing to find any trace of the missing man.

Ivan Rukavina, from Melbourne, who is currently on the cruise, told 7NEWS.com.au he heard “Oscar Oscar Oscar” over the ships’ loudspeaker — a code meaning man overboard.

Rukavina claims the man fell from the 15th-floor balcony, about 20m above his room and directly above the main pool area.

Rukavina said it would not have been hard to jump over the ship’s glass railing.

“If he’s jumped off mid-ship ... he would have been sucked in by the motors,” he said.

Following the incident, crew members attempted to lower lifeboats into the water.

Rukavina said crew were “frantically” trying to get the lights on the lifeboats to work.

“I heard someone say ‘there’s no lights’,” he said.

All passengers were told to go back to their rooms so crew could conduct a head count.

Meanwhile, a search and rescue effort took place for about 2½ hours, before the cruise resumed its trip towards Honolulu.

Rukavina said the US Coast Guard had now taken over search efforts to locate the man.

Petty officer Ryan Fisher said the coast guard’s C130 Hercules aircraft dropped tracking buoys during the search to “get a better idea of what the surface ocean currents are”.

“The temperature of the water ... sea state, location, all of these factors can really play a part in the length of time someone is able to tread the water or survive,” he told 7NEWS.

“As of right now, the main concern is just dedicating as much resources as we can.”

The search will resume on Friday, Fisher added, and a safety broadcast was continuing to go out to mariners in the area urging them to keep a lookout for the man.

Rukavina said it was unclear whether the man was travelling alone or with family.

“It’s sad for their family,” he said.

“It’s a bit disturbing, to be honest.”

‘Heard a scream’

Ken, another passenger on board the ship, told 7NEWS.com.au he and his wife were awake at the time of the incident, and saw the lifeboats and search lights being used.

He said he’d heard from multiple passengers that two members of the crew saw the man go overboard.

“A lady heard a scream, went out on to the balcony and saw him drop past, hit the tender below and fall into the water,” Ken said.

He added the crew had dealt with the situation in a “very professional and respectful way”.

“The captain ... hung around as long as (he) could before being told by the US Coast Guard to resume course.”

Ken could not confirm whether an earlier medical incident was linked to the man going overboard.

He said the mood on the boat on Thursday morning was “very sombre”.

The deck area where the man is believed to have gone overboard has now been taped off.

In a speech addressing passengers on Thursday morning, the captain said his “deepest sympathies and thoughts” were with the man’s family.

“We’ll do our best to provide assistance and support to the family (and) out of respect we will not provide any other details,” the captain said.

Quantum of the Seas is on a 16-night cruise scheduled to conclude in Honolulu, Hawaii on April 28.

Fake doctor charged for treating thousands.

Just Updated: Tragic Death + Visitor Overboard On Hawaii Cruise

Updated: Passengers reported being awakened by calls of Oscar, Oscar, Oscar over the ship’s public address system, which is the codename for “man overboard.”

The search for the lost man continues today after being suspended overnight while the U.S. Coast Guard refueled its aircraft based at Barber’s Point Hawaii.

No link to a passenger who died during entertainment onboard the cruise ship.

Australian media has this morning reported that while the overboard did occur soon after a woman died on the ship, they believe that the two incidents are not related and that the two persons involved did not even know each other.

The person who is reported to have died just prior.

In sad and bizarre circumstances, the missing man was previously said to be the partner of another passenger who died during an onboard medical emergency. The passenger death onboard occurred during a show in one of the ship’s lounges. The performance was stopped when it was announced that there was a fatal medical emergency. It was shortly thereafter that the passenger overboard alarm was sounded.

After initially halting sail and dispatching tenders and searchlights unsuccessfully, the ship is once again en route to Hawaii, while a Hercules C-130 aircraft similar to the one pictured above has been deployed to help locate the passenger who disappeared sometime between 11 pm Tuesday and 1 am Wednesday.

Royal Caribbean confirmed the incident, saying, “While on its trans-pacific sailing, a guest onboard Quantum of the Seas went overboard. The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities.”

The Royal Caribbean Hawaii cruise.

The seventeen-day cruise to Hawaii began in Australia on April 12 with 16 nights en route from Brisbane, via two stops in French Polynesia. It is en route to the tender dock in Kona on the Big Island, followed by mooring in Honolulu harbor. The Quantum of the Seas is a 9-year-old ship that accommodates nearly 5,000 passengers.

Cruise ship passenger overboard events.

In the event a passenger goes overboard on a cruise, typically, the following protocol would be implemented:

First, the crew notifies the bridge, initiating a man-overboard protocol. The location and time of the incident are noted, after which a visual search is conducted in the area where the passenger was last seen. The ship repositions as necessary to return to the area. The captain determines the search initiation procedure and contacts authorities. Life rafts and rescue boats are deployed. The next of kin are notified and kept advised of search efforts.

Do passengers usually fall off cruise ships? No, they do not. Ships are built with railings high enough that either events like this are typically intentional or involve climbing onto railings or something else. Suicide at sea is something that also occurs.

In total, there may be up to 20 such events each year. These are sometimes related to alcohol or domestic disturbances.

Some people do survive overboard situations. On average, however, about 80% are never rescued alive. It isn’t clear what the wind and water conditions were at the place where the event took place nearly due south of Hawaii.

A criminal investigation is likely underway, as is typical of such cases, and the FBI gets involved when it relates to a U.S. citizen. In this case, the missing person is Australian.

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8 thoughts on “Just Updated: Tragic Death + Visitor Overboard On Hawaii Cruise”

Hi guys, What a strange and terrifically sad story. May they rest in peace. However, I can’t help but think of White Lotus…

Aloha Guys – what a tragic and sad event for the family and friends of the two deceased. May they rest in peace.

Thank you, once again, for bringing us another intriguing story. I wonder what the investigation into their deaths will reveal? Agatha Christie, indeed!

Update from news.com.au “ There reports early on Thursday that the missing man was the partner of someone who died on the ship following a medical emergency.

However, news.com.au has confirmed that the medical emergency and the man going overboard were two isolated incidents — and the the pair were not known to each other.

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said: “Out of respect for the family, we will not share further details about this unfortunate event.”

My aunts partner of 25 years died of cancer. 6 months later my aunt shot herself in the head. She sent a letter to the police as to where she was, garage. Everything in the house had post it notes, saying who got what.This was well planned. They had a pact that if one goes, the other joins them. We had no idea. Grief is overwhelming.

Aloha Rob,+Jeff. Well!!! Another interesting story with unusual circumstances. This will definitely be one to follow up on. Nevertheless, very tragic and unfortunate for the rest of the passengers and crew on board. Talk about a strange occurrence to happen. A vacation that the travellers won’t soon forget. Wonder if there is any compensation for them. It did after all upset their long awaited dream cruise. Let us know what happens with this one. Mahalo and take good care of yourselves.

Thanks. We appreciate your input here and on so many articles. This is a sad and strange story.

I doubt Royal Caribbean would compensate those indirectly affected by the event. We took an RC cruise and our cabin flooded when the toilet seal malfunctioned, but they had no available rooms to move us to, so we had to stay in the room while they dried the carpet out for the next two days using a loud fan and keeping our cabin door open, and the only compensation they gave us was a 50% off voucher if we booked another cruise within a year. Meager compensation for being directly affected by an event, so we declined to take anymore cruises with RC.

Some compensation That was!

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Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Passenger Disappears Overboard on Trip to Hawaii

The Coast Guard said the cruise ship left Brisbane, Australia, about two weeks ago and was on its way to Hawaii after a stop in Tahiti. It is expected to dock in Honolulu on Friday.

Published April 27, 2023 • Updated on April 27, 2023 at 6:45 am

The U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday it was searching for a cruise ship passenger from Australia in waters south of Hawaii.

The ship Quantum of the Seas notified the Coast Guard of a man overboard at 11:03 p.m. Tuesday, about 870 miles south of the island chain. NBC affiliate KHNL reports the ship's crew remained on scene to search for the man for approximately two hours.

A C-130 air crew took off at 7 a.m. the next morning and arrived two hours later at the scene about 500 miles south of the Big Island town of Kailua-Kona. After six hours on site, the air crew returned to Air Station Barbers Point on Oahu to refuel. Coast Guard crews will resume searching Thursday morning.

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Information on the missing individual was not immediately available.

Quantum of the Seas is operated by Royal Caribbean International. The company didn't immediately respond to an email message.

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The girlfriend of Warwick Tollemache — an Australian man who went overboard a cruise ship in the Pacific — says she’s devastated the search was called off.

The search for Mr Tollemache — a 35-year-old from Brisbane — was suspended on Friday after he fell overboard on Wednesday evening.

Brisbane woman Celina La Roche, who said she had been dating Mr Tollemache “on and off” for six years, told The Courier-Mail she still hoped he was alive.

She had earlier posted on Facebook, telling a friend on Thursday: “Warwick is lost at sea.”

“I love you, always have and always will,” she wrote above a picture of the two of them cruising together in the South Pacific last month.

“RIP my love.”

However, Ms La Roche told The Courier-Mail : “They should have kept looking – I don’t understand why they stopped the search.

“I’m just devastated.”

Mr Tollemache’s family said he would be deeply missed.

“Our family is heartbroken at the loss of our beloved Warwick,” his mother Mandy Tollemache wrote in a statement on Facebook.

“He was a kind, beautiful, and gentle soul who was adored by everyone who knew him. He will be deeply missed.

“We kindly ask for privacy during this difficult time. Thank you for your understanding.”

A friend described the tragedy as “the worst news ever”, sharing on social media that his heart was aching and he will miss Mr Tollemache dearly.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs told news.com.au it was providing consular assistance to Mr Tollemache’s family.

“The Australian Consulate-General in Honolulu is working closely with local authorities,” a spokesperson said. “We acknowledge the ongoing distress for the man’s family and loved ones.”

The US Coast Guard said the difficult decision to call off the search was made after speaking with the missing man’s family and the Australian consulate.

“After reviewing all relevant information of the case and discussing it with the next of kin, the Coast Guard has made the difficult decision to suspend the active search for the passenger aboard the Quantum of the Seas ,” Kevin Cooper, a search and rescue mission co-ordinator for the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu, said in a statement.

US coast guard Ryan Fisher told Sky News Australia the search was suspended “pending any new information”.

Mr Tollemache went overboard the cruise ship 1400km south of the Hawaii coast at about 11pm local time on Tuesday (7pm Wednesday AEST).

His disappearance happened shortly after a woman died during a medical emergency on the vessel.

However, the two incidents are not linked and the pair did not know each other.

In a statement, the US Coast Guard said the crew of the cruise ship remained on scene to search for approximately two hours before resuming its course. Six life rings were deployed.

The Coast Guard dispatched a C-130 Hercules aircrew from its base on Barbers Point, Hawaii, on Thursday morning (AEST) to help with the search and aircrew completed five searches over the course of six hours.

“After six hours on scene, the crew returned to Air Station Barbers Point for fuel replenishment,” an earlier statement said. “The search will resume at first light Thursday morning (Friday AEST).”

Mr Fisher confirmed on Friday while this was the intention the search did not resume.

The Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas ship was two days from reaching its port in Hawaii when tragedy struck on Wednesday – 15 days after the vessel departed from Brisbane docks.

“While on its trans-Pacific sailing, a guest on-board Quantum of the Seas went overboard,” a Royal Caribbean spokesperson told news.com.au.

“The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities.”

The cruise line’s captain immediately brought the ship to a halt following the news, with staff launching a search and rescue operation.

There were reports early on Thursday that the missing man was the partner of someone who died on the ship following a medical emergency.

However, news.com.au has confirmed that the medical emergency and the man going overboard were two isolated incidents – and the pair were not known to each other.

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said: “Out of respect for the family, we will not share further details about this unfortunate event.”

2GB breakfast host Ben Fordham read a passenger’s email from on-board the ship.

“Some saying cameras on deck saw [a man] go over. Others saying crew has confirmed the passenger did go over last night and there was only so much they could do,’” Mr Fordham said, reading out the man’s email.

Melbourne man Adam Glezer, who is on the ship with his wife and four-year-old child, told news.com.au an announcement of ‘Oscar’ – meaning person overboard – was made over the intercom at about 7pm Sydney time.

“They didn’t make a big deal about it. It was mainly for staff and crew but an hour later things got more serious,” Mr Glezer said.

“They started doing announcements over the loudspeaker saying ‘potential man overboard’ and that everyone had to go back to their room.”

Mr Glezer said passengers were in their rooms for about 90 minutes before they were able to leave again.

“They were repeatedly calling for a fella on deck 12 who they called about four times,” he added. “They were telling him to go to reception but repeated it four times – they then turned the ship around to look for this fella.”

Mr Glezer described it as a “surreal” feeling as the entire ship was quiet – music turned off and everyone was confined to their rooms.

“I called Mum to let her know we are OK. After that they reopened the bars – I went down. It was just packed with people wanting to know what happened.

“I have spoken to workers who have been working on ships for years and they said they have never seen anything like this happen before.”

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It’s not believed there were any suspicious circumstances.

The ship was due to dock in Honolulu after stopping in Tahiti in the days prior. It has since resumed its journey to the resort town Kona on Hawaii’s Big Island.

Other ships in the area have been advised to keep a lookout for the overboard passenger, after an amber alert was issued.

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Passenger shares chilling moment man fell overboard on cruise and disappears into sea

A passenger on board the Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas said: "A lady heard a scream, went out onto the balcony and saw him drop past, hit the tender below and fall into the water"

• 09:39, 27 Apr 2023
• Updated 10:06, 27 Apr 2023

A passenger has detailed the moment a cruise ship passenger went overboard while travelling from Brisbane to Hawaii, as the search has been called off.

The Australian man aboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas went over around 11pm Tuesday night, local time, two days before it was due to arrive in Honolulu.

The ship left Brisbane on 12 April and was about 500 miles south of Hawaii at the time of the incident.

Ivan Rukavina, from Melbourne, said he heard “Oscar Oscar Oscar” over the ships’ loudspeaker — a code meaning man overboard.

He claims the man fell from the 15th-floor balcony, about 20m above his room and directly above the main pool area.

Rukavina said the crew were “frantically” trying to get the lights on the lifeboats to work: "I heard someone say ‘there are no lights’."

It happened shortly after a woman died during a medical emergency on the vessel - though the two incidents are not linked and the pair did not know each other.

The New York Post reports that the man whose family was aboard the ship said they told him that the missing passenger’s partner had died just moments before he went overboard.

The ship's search and rescue operation lasted two hours before the US Coast Guard launched a Hercules aircraft which reached the search area at 9am.

The plane completed five search patterns but was unable to find the man and with only six hours of fuel, the plane ended its search at 3pm local time.

No other aircraft were available to continue the search, including the US Navy, who were contacted, so the search had to halt for the day before starting the next day.

Ken, another passenger on board the ship, told 7NEWS: "A lady heard a scream, went out onto the balcony and saw him drop past, hit the tender below and fall into the water.

“The captain... hung around as long as (he) could before being told by the US Coast Guard to resume course.”

The ship is 16 storeys high and has room for 4,500 passengers and a 1,500-strong crew, according to the cruise company’s website.

In a speech addressing passengers on Thursday morning, the captain said his “deepest sympathies and thoughts” were with the man’s family.

“We’ll do our best to provide assistance and support to the family (and) out of respect we will not provide any other details,” the captain said.

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Passenger falls overboard on Royal Caribbean cruise hours after a woman dies on ship

Quantum of the seas was on a 15-day trip from australia to hawaii when the passenger fell overboard, article bookmarked.

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A passenger aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship travelling from Australia to Hawaii is missing after falling overboard, Royal Caribbean International confirmed to The Independent .

The passenger, a person from Australia, went overboard on Tuesday, 25 April, around 11 pm Hawaii-Aleutian standard time while sailing on the Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas.

The incident occurred just hours after another passenger allegedly died, according to a report from a local news outlet, 7News.

The ship departed from Brisbane, Australia on 12 April and is expected to arrive in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Friday, 28 April.

But approximately 500 nautical miles south of Kailua Kona, Big Island, the passenger somehow went overboard leading the ship to spend two hours searching for the missing person, according to a press release from the US Coast Guard.

“The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities,” Royal Caribbean International said.

• What are cruise passengers’ rights when voyages go wrong?
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• Cruise ship passenger dies after falling from balcony onto another person

On Facebook, a passenger aboard the ship named Joshua Reynolds, posted a photo of the ship’s crew deploying a lifeboat and said there were three medical emergencies before the passenger fell overboard.

“Three medical emergencies and now a man overboard. We have slowed down and are now turning around. Hope they are found,” Mr Reynolds wrote.

Royal Caribbean did not confirm the details of the other medical emergencies, or the other passenger’s death, but one man claimed the passenger who died was the partner of the person who went overboard according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Royal Caribbean told The Sydney Morning Herald that was not the case.

The Independent has reached out to Royal Caribbean regarding the alleged death.

According to the US Coast Guard, the crew on Quantum of the Seas contacted the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu to assist in the search and rescue.

After two hours of searching, the ship ceased searches and handed it over to the Coast Guard.

Mr Reynolds wrote on Facebook : “It was pitch black. They had tossed half a dozen life vests in the water with the automatic beacons. Nothing. The seas weren’t very pleasant. One of the guys on the 15 ft rescue boat looked like he got sick.”

The Coast Guard said they spent six hours searching for the missing passenger but did not find them. They said their search was to continue at “first light Thursday morning.”

It is unclear how the man fell overboard.

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The Coast Guard Is Searching for a Man Who Fell Overboard on a Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship The ship is set to dock in Hawaii tomorrow.

By Emily Rella • Apr 27, 2023

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a cruise ship passenger from Australia who went overboard en route to Hawaii, just 500 miles south of Kailua Kona.

"Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu received a report from the cruise ship Quantum of the Seas of a man overboard at 11:03 p.m. Tuesday evening," the coast guard said in a release . "The crew of the cruise ship remained on scene to search for approximately two hours, deploying six life rings."

Related: A Cruise Passenger Plummeted to Their Death From a Room Balcony While Guests' Stunned Reactions Were Captured by Vlogger

The coast guard deployed an aircrew to search for the passenger early Wednesday morning and, after hours of searching, returned to land to refuel and begin again early Thursday morning.

The Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas ship, which is set to dock Friday morning in Honolulu has been at sea for 15 days after departing from Brisbane, Australia.

"While on its trans-pacific sailing, a guest onboard Quantum of the Seas went overboard," Royal Caribbean confirmed in a statement, per ABC7 . "The ship's crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities."

There have been no further details released about the incident or what might have happened.

Royal Caribbean did confirm that the man falling overboard happened just days after a woman died on the ship due to a medical emergency. Both incidents are isolated as the man and the woman did not know each other.

"[The staff] started doing announcements over the loudspeaker saying 'potential man overboard' and that everyone had to go back to their room," passenger Adam Gelzer told Australian outlet News.Com.Au . "I have spoken to workers who have been working on ships for years and they said they have never seen anything like this happen before."

The incident follows a similar tragedy earlier this month when a passenger was pronounced dead after falling from the balcony in their room and landing on the deck below during a Virgin Voyages cruise headed for Honduras.

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Live updates, father of florida cruise passenger, 20, who jumped off royal caribbean ship after argument believes his son is still alive: report.

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The father of the 20-year-old passenger who jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise ship last Thursday in a reportedly drunken, impulsive leap believes his son is still alive nearly a week later.

Francel Parker, dad of missing Levion Parker, told the Daily Sun that he believes his child — whom he called a master diver — is still alive in the waters off the Bahamas.

“As soon as he went off the side, I prayed over him. I was confident the prayers I said over my son were heard. I stand on the word of God. I believe he is alive,” Francel Parker said to the local Florida paper Wednesday.

The US Coast Guard called off its search for the North Port man a day earlier.

The younger Parker allegedly jumped off the 18-story Liberty of the Seas around 4 a.m. in front of his helpless dad and younger brother after getting into an argument with his father, witnesses previously told The Post.

But Francel, who runs an AC business in Port Charlotte, told the local newspaper that he wasn’t arguing with Levion and that his son wasn’t trying to take his own life.

He said Levion is a skilled diver who works on a commercial fishing boat, and he is demanding to know how his underage son was given alcohol on the four-day cruise to Cuba and the Bahamas’ Grand Inagua Island.

“We don’t drink,” Francel said. “I’d like to know how my son was served so much alcohol.”

Another passenger onboard the cruise who witnessed Levion’s heart-stopping jump said Francel was “fussing at him for being drunk.”

Bryan Sims told The Post that he was hanging out with Levion and his 18-year-old brother, Seth, in the hotel tub of the ship in the early hours of April 4 before they went their separate ways.

After Sims had used the restroom and dried off, he bumped into the brothers and their father near the elevators.

“As we were walking from the hot tub back to the elevators, his dad and brother were walking towards us. His dad was fussing at him for being drunk, I guess,” Sims said of the moment before Parker jumped.  

“When we got to them, he said to his dad, ‘I’ll fix this right now.’ And he jumped out the window in front of us all,” Sims said, calling what he witnessed “surreal.”

Another cruise guest described the frantic chaos that followed.

“There was a lot of yelling, and the crew was alerted immediately,” Deborah Morrison told The Post.

“His family was horrified. Just beside themselves. I can’t even begin to imagine what they’re going through.”

Francel told the Daily Sun that he threw six life rings off the ship in hopes of saving his son before the massive vessel was able to come to a stop about 20 minutes later.

Royal Caribbean said it “immediately” launched search boats to look for the 20-year-old and alerted the Coast Guard, which later took over the search.

At least 406 people on major cruise lines and ferries have gone overboard between 2000 and 2024, according to data collected by retired professor and cruise industry researcher Ross Klein.

Death rates among overboard passengers and crew members vary significantly among cruise lines, but even the safest cruise companies were only able to rescue about 40% of people who fall or jump off the ship, Klein told the Washington Post in July.

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Dad Takes Aim at Cruise Staff After 20-Year-Old Son’s Fatal Jump

Francel Parker told his hometown newspaper that his family doesn’t drink, so he’s unsure how his son got so drunk just before he leaped to his death in the Caribbean.

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The dad of Levion Parker , the 20-year-old Florida outdoorsman who drunkenly leaped to his death in front of his family on a Royal Caribbean cruise last week, is now questioning how his son was able to get so drunk despite being underage.

In an interview with his hometown newspaper, The Daily Sun , Francel Parker insisted that his son wasn’t suicidal and that they weren’t arguing before his fatal plunge—a statement that contradicts what others onboard told the New York Post they witnessed.

Instead, Francel told the paper his son’s spontaneous jump was done out of drunken ignorance—something he suggested should have been avoidable.

“We don’t drink,” he told the Sun . “I’d like to know how my son was served so much alcohol.”

Despite being over international waters at the time of the fatal plunge, roughly midway between Grand Inagua Island and Cuba, cruises that depart and return from U.S. ports are barred from serving alcohol to anyone under 21. Royal Caribbean has released a statement on the incident, but has not addressed witness statements that claimed Levion was drunk.

Parker added that he’s holding out hope his son, an outdoorsman who won a saltwater fishing tournament just last month, is still alive somewhere in the Caribbean—despite Thursday making it a full week since he disappeared into ocean, and two days since the U.S. Coast Guard called off its search.

“As soon as he went off the side, I prayed over him,” he said, adding that his son was a skilled diver. “I was confident the prayers I said over my son were heard. I stand on the word of God. I believe he is alive.”

The tragedy unfolded around 4 a.m. on April 4, on the 11th deck of the massive Liberty of the Seas cruise liner. Witnesses told the Post last week that Levion was hanging out in a hot tub with his brother when he was approached by his dad, who appeared angry that he’d been drinking.

After what he perceived as being an argument, the witness Bryan Sims told the Post he heard Levion tell his dad, “I’ll fix this right now.” Moments later, he jumped into the dark ocean below—an incident Sims described as being an “impulsive leap.”

Sims added that the ship was moving “pretty fast” and that Francel screamed for staff to alert the captain, which brought the ship to a complete stop within 20 minutes. The vessel launched rescue boats, but to no avail—Levion was nowhere to be found.

Francel told the Sun he flung six life rings off the ship hoping one would reach his son, who he said accompanied him on board along with his younger brother to take a break from his work on a commercial fishing boat.

Social media posts showed Levion graduated from North Port High School, in southwest Florida between Sarasota and Fort Myers, in 2022. He played football there, and regularly posted about fishing and hunting.

In in its lone statement on the incident, Royal Caribbean said last week it was “providing support and assistance” to Levion’s family.

“The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the U.S. Coast Guard,” it said, adding, “For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share.”

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast  here .

READ THIS LIST

6 best Alaska cruises for families

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Adorable sled dog puppies, graceful whales, fascinating totem poles, crazy lumberjacks, majestic glaciers — Alaska has much to offer families of all ages. But if you’re looking for the best Alaska cruise for kids, which ship should you choose?

Families have great choices when sailing up north, including a ship full of Disney characters, one with laser tag and a go-kart race track and many with expansive play spaces for kids, waterslides and family-focused onboard activities. Look for bigger ships with plenty of amusements; smaller and older ships might not have as many kid-friendly attractions.

I’m not mentioning luxury cruise ships here because they are geared for adults, but families looking for a more upscale, smaller-ship cruise to Alaska should know that many high-end lines will put on some kid programming during summer-break cruises to Alaska with a higher-than-usual number of children on board.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter .

If you’re ready to cross Alaska off your bucket list, here are our recommendations for the best Alaska cruises for families.

7-night Alaska Adventure cruise on Quantum of the Seas

The 4,180-passenger Quantum of the Seas is not one of Royal Caribbean ’s largest-in-the-world Oasis Class ships that boast zip lines, ice skating rinks and AquaTheaters. But it still offers a great mix of activities, including a skydiving simulator, high-tech theater with robotic “dancing” screens, an escape room, indoor basketball court/bumper car pavilion and dedicated spaces for both kids and adults.

Kids can gobble up hot dogs and pizza at themed eateries, while adults can enjoy date night at Wonderland with its imaginative molecular gastronomy or Jamie’s Italian, created by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.

Seven-night Alaska cruises sail round-trip from the easily accessible port of Seattle and visit Sitka, Skagway and Juneau, Alaska; as well as Victoria, British Columbia. One day is spent cruising through the scenic Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier. Sailings depart between late April and September.

Related: Alaska cruise packing list: What to pack for a sailing up north

7-night Alaska cruise on Disney Wonder

Disney Cruise Line ‘s 1,754-passenger Disney Wonder (which can carry 2,713 guests when completely full) is the perfect size ship for a family cruise to Alaska. It’s smaller than many of the megaships catering to families in this part of the world, so guests can view glaciers and enjoy shore excursions without feeling too crowded.

The ship is full of Disney magic — photo ops with Mickey and friends and Disney princesses, restaurants themed to “The Little Mermaid” and “The Princess and the Frog” and a musical stage show of “Frozen.”

Cabins are thoughtfully designed for families, with plentiful bunkbeds and split bathrooms so two people can get ready for bed at once. Waiters assist with cutting up food for little cruisers or bringing pureed baby food, and the imaginative kids clubs keep little ones happily occupied when you’re not exploring in port.

Disney Wonder’s weeklong Alaska cruises sail round-trip from Vancouver, so all Americans, even kids, will need passports to fly in to the departure port. The ship visits Juneau, Ketchikan and either Skagway or Icy Strait Point, with glacier viewing at the Stikine Icecap. Seasonal sailings run May to September.

Related: Alaska cruise guide: Best itineraries, planning tips and things to do

7-night Alaska cruise on Carnival Spirit

Carnival Cruise Line ’s Alaska cruises aboard the 2,124-guest Carnival Spirit might not be the cheapest sailings the line offers, but you get a lot for your money. Families will appreciate not having to pay extra for kid-friendly eats at the onboard pizzeria, Mexican outlet, Guy Fieri’s burger joint and all-day soft serve ice cream station. Comedy shows (both family-friendly and adults-only), an onboard water park, mini-golf and kid, tween and teen clubs are also included in the fare.

Cabins are no-frills but tend to be roomier than comparable cabins on competitors’ ships. Many rooms sleep four, but connecting cabins will get you more space and an extra bathroom while still keeping the family together.

Carnival Spirit spends summers in Alaska from late April to mid-September. It sails round-trip from Seattle and visits Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Victoria, BC, with scenic cruising in Tracy Arm Fjord.

Related: Best time to cruise Alaska

7-night Glacier Bay cruise on Norwegian Encore

Norwegian Cruise Line offers one of the longest cruise seasons in Alaska, and Norwegian Encore is based in the region from April through October each year. This might not help the typical family, but if your kids are young, you homeschool or have atypical breaks, a shoulder-season deal might be waiting for you.

The 3,998-passenger ship is NCL’s biggest, and families will be amazed at how much there is to do on board (though be prepared to pull out your credit card for the best activities). The ship features a laser tag arena, go-kart race track, virtual reality pavilion and water park.

Norwegian is also known for its entertainment, and after a day hiking on glaciers or chowing down at salmon bakes, you can take in the spectacular “Choir of Man,” sing along to the Beatles tribute show at The Cavern Club, or laugh yourself silly at The Social Comedy Club.

Like many of the best Alaska cruises for families, Norwegian Encore sails round-trip from Seattle, stopping in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria. The standout day on this itinerary is scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve , which only a limited number of ships can visit each year. Save more by taking advantage of Free at Sea perks , which often include a free beverage package, Wi-Fi, shore excursion credit, specialty dining and — perfect for families — free third and fourth guests in each cabin.

Related: Alaska cruise mistakes you never want to make

7-night Voyage of the Glaciers cruise on Royal Princess

Families with a little more vacation time might want to tack a visit to the Alaskan interior before or after their cruise, either independently or with a cruisetour. For this, you’ll need a one-way cruise that begins or ends in an Alaskan port.

A top candidate for this kind of family vacation is a seven-night cruise on Princess Cruises ‘ Royal Princess sailing between Vancouver and Whittier, Alaska. The ship stops in Ketchikan, Juneau and either Skagway or Sitka, with scenic cruising in Glacier Bay and either College Fjord or Hubbard Glacier, depending on the itinerary.

It’s then up to you whether you spend you pre- or post-cruise time in the Kenai Fjord area, in Anchorage or traveling north to Denali National Park, Fairbanks or into the Arctic.

Royal Princess is known for its fan-favorite Alfredo’s pizza, Movies Under the Stars (when the Alaskan weather permits) and snacks and entertainment in the central Piazza. With its special North to Alaska activities, families can cuddle some adorable sled dogs on board the ship and meet Iditarod winners and other notable locals. Kids can become junior rangers with the help of the park rangers who come aboard the ship in Glacier Bay.

7-night Kids in Nature cruise on Wilderness Legacy

Suppose your family isn’t into the big-ship lifestyle and wants a small-ship, off-the-beaten-path experience that’s also geared toward families with kids and teens? In that case, the best family cruise to Alaska for you might be the “Kids in Nature” departures of UnCruise Adventures ’ 86-passenger Wilderness Legacy.

The ship sails round-trip from Juneau on “Glaciers & Wildlife” itineraries. These seven-night cruises include hiking and biking on Chichagof Island, daytime and evening kayak and skift tours in places like Patterson Bay and Robert and Crow Islands, exploring Glacier Bay’s less-visited “Outback” and visits to the LeConte and Baird Glaciers.

On three departure dates in June and July 2024, the Wilderness Legacy will staff up with “Kid Wranglers” who will lead the kid-focused activities. The minimum age to sail is 8 years old, but plenty of tweens and teens join the fun as well.

Bottom line

You no longer have to wait until you’re retired to explore Alaska. Take the kids on a weeklong exploration of the 49th State, and you’ll have plenty of cruise ships and itineraries to choose from. The best Alaska cruises for families combine action-packed itineraries with vessels designed for family fun, but we’re sure your family can find a way to have a great time up north no matter which cruise ship you choose.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

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1 dead, several injured in Honolulu after shuttle bus crashes outside cruise terminal

One person has died and multiple people were injured in a shuttle bus crash in Honolulu , Hawaii on Friday.

"Nine Carnival Miracle guests were hit by a shuttle bus in the transportation area outside the Honolulu cruise terminal on Friday morning," Matt Lupoli, senior manager of the Carnival Cruise Line , told USA TODAY. "Sadly, one guest has died from her injuries. She was traveling with her husband, who was also injured and is expected to recover."

The shuttle bus crashed into pedestrians and two concrete barriers at the terminal. The shuttle bus driver mistakenly stepped on the gas pedal instead of the break when they attempted to stop the bus from moving, Hawaii News Now reported.

All of the victims were taken to local hospitals and are being treated for their injuries. The victims are in different conditions ranging from serious to stable, the news outlet said.

"Members of the Carnival Care Team are assisting the guests. Our thoughts are with the guests affected and their loved ones," Lupoli said.

USA TODAY has reached out to the  Honolulu Police Department and the Honolulu Emergency Medical Services for comment.

1 dead, 13 injured: After man crashes truck into Texas Department of Public Safety building

Eyewitnesses share their experience after the Honolulu shuttle bus crash, reports state

Eyewitness told KITV Island News that the relaxing Friday morning turned deadly after the shuttle bus crash.

"We heard the tire of a vehicle screeching," Lillian Le, a visitor from Denver told the broadcast station. "We looked and it was a bus running over people and hit against a wall."

An employee at the complex said he has never experienced this before.

"We saw the first responders coming, it was substantial, probably about 10 a.m., four or five ambulances, two fire trucks, ten cop cars, looked pretty bad - it's really distressing," Mark Elwell, an employee at the complex wher the accident occurred. "I've worked here 21 years, I've never seen anything to this magnitude, really sad to see, obviously people were hurt pretty bad to be taken away by ambulance."

Jessica Lani Rich, a visitor at the Aloha Society of Hawaii told KITV Island News that the woman who died was celebrating her 46th wedding anniversary with her husband.

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at  [email protected] . Follow her on  Instagram ,  Threads  and  X @forbesfineest.