Louisiana authorities are undergoing a massive search for a missing father, who was a passenger on a Carnival Cruise ship, after finding surveillance footage showing the man leaping overboard off the ship’s deck.
The Coast Guard has been searching a huge 200-mile area in treacherous weather conditions for Tyler Barnett, 28, after he was reported missing Monday from the Carnival Glory heading for Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The dad of two young girls was last seen by loved ones just before midnight as he said he was heading to his room, but his bed was never slept in.
He has since been seen as he jumped from the ship’s deck at around 1:40 a.m. Monday after first climbing onto a lifeboat to get there, a Carnival spokesperson reported what was found in the video footage.
Rescuers narrowed down the search area to where the ship would have been located at the time of Barnett jumping.
A day after the search began, cruise officials were told the missing man may have been wearing a different shirt, which expanded their profile of the guest they were searching for in security footage.
Barnett’s sister, Destiny Barnett, said, “Me and 13 other relatives were also on the ship with Tyler. It makes me feel crazy to be stuck on a ship where everyone else is having a good time. It was supposed to be a vacation, but for us, it’s hell.”
His grandmother, Dirlean Tate Mason, who is not on the cruise, said, “My grandson Tyler works on the river barges in Houma, Louisiana, and is the father of twin girls.”
The Coast Guard was utilizing an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew in its search for the missing man before suspending the search at about 9 p.m. Tuesday when conditions became too dangerous.
The cruise ship’s care team is supporting his family who were traveling with him and are still on board.
The Coast Guard is in charge of the search and rescue operations and cleared Carnival Glory to proceed to Montego Bay as scheduled.
Before docking Wednesday, the ship is also scheduled to call on Grand Cayman and Cozumel, a Carnival spokesperson said.
