Search for cruise ship passenger who went overboard
The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a man who went overboard the Carnival Elation cruise ship about 15 miles off the coast of the Bahamas.
Kevin Wellons, 24, was reported missing by his wife around 8:30am on Tuesday as she said she last saw him about 2:30am.
She reported her husband missing after the cruise ship docked in Nassau from leaving Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday afternoon for the five-day Bahamas cruise.
The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a man who went overboard the Carnival Elation (file above) cruise ship about 15 miles off the coast of the Bahamas
Crew members reviewed the surveillance footage on the ship and saw that Wellons, of Warner Robins, Georgia, went overboard from the 11th deck about 2:45am, WJXT reported.
Officials say at that time, the cruise ship was approximately 14 nautical miles northeast of Great Harbor Cay in the Bahamas.
After the Coast Guard was notified about Wellons, a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew was directed from its station in Clearwater and an Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew to search for the missing man.
Kevin Wellons, 24, was reported missing by his wife around 8:30am on Tuesday as she said she last saw him about 2:30am. Surveillance footage on the ship (file above) shows him going overboard from the 11th deck around 2:25am
'Carnival's CareTeam is providing support to the missing guest's family. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this very difficult time,' a statement from the company reads.
The ship is based in Jacksonville year-round.
The Carnival Elation is expected to return to Jacksonville on Thursday morning.