Kaylyn Rose Sommer went overboard from a cruise ship off the coast of Cuba on Thursday. Despite their best efforts, the Coast Guard suspended the search for her on Sunday.
The ship from which Kaylyn Rose Sommer went overboard was the Norwegian Pearl. The tour was run by Mad Decent, a Los Angeles record label, in conjunction with DJ Diplo. The cruise was a four-day music festival that was headed from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico.
Coast Guard Suspends Search for 24-year-old Kaylyn Rose Sommer https://t.co/4afqIOhpqv #chsnews pic.twitter.com/r85tbDM3ta
— WCBD (@WCBD) November 15, 2015
Kaylyn Rose Sommer reportedly went overboard from the ship’s deck at about 7 p.m. ET on Thursday. Both CNN and The Miami Herald quoted a statement from Norwegian Cruise Lines that claims she went overboard intentionally. Reuters reached out to the cruise line for confirmation of this report, but received no reply.
Coast Guard Capt. Todd Coggeshall issued a statement to the media when the search was suspended on Sunday.
“Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the loved ones affected by this terrible tragedy,” he said. “We are all sons and daughters, and many of our responders have young children themselves. Suspending search efforts is always a painful decision, particularly when it involves a young mother.”
#UPDATE: Officials identify overboard passenger as Kaylyn Rose Sommer, 24, from S.C. https://t.co/EgaQArD3Fc pic.twitter.com/LMg34XJahR
— WSVN 7 News (@wsvn) November 13, 2015
According to Coast Guard officials, Kaylyn Rose Sommer fell about 80 feet into the water. The Coast Guard searched 1,378 square nautical miles looking for her.
This tragedy comes a week after a Brazilian man went overboard from a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship off the Bahamas. The Coast Guard ended the search in that case as well.
Whether Kaylyn Rose Sommer went overboard intentionally or not remains to see determined. Despite that possibility, this is indeed a tragedy for all involved.