Search efforts have been halted for a 51-year-old man who fell from a Norwegian Cruise Line ship on Thursday.

Traveling with his family, the man went overboard around 3 p.m. while the ship was en route from Ocho Rios, Jamaica, to Nassau, Bahamas. This was confirmed by the cruise line in a statement to YSL News. Although there was a rescue operation, it was eventually terminated to allow the ship to proceed with its journey.

“The guest was with a large group, and his family is receiving support during this extremely difficult time,” stated a Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson to YSL News. “Our thoughts go out to his loved ones in this challenging situation.”

Details of the man overboard on the Norwegian Epic

The cruise ship involved in the incident was the Norwegian Epic, which offers a variety of performances, activities, and luxurious experiences for its passengers.

The Norwegian Epic was on a seven-night cruise through the Western Caribbean, having departed from Canaveral, Florida, the previous Saturday, as reported by Cruise Hive, a blog focusing on the cruise industry.

Once the cruise officials became aware that someone had gone overboard, they alerted the relevant authorities, and a search commenced, led by the Bahamas Rescue Coordination Center, according to the cruise line’s statement to YSL News.

Passengers onboard helped with the search and posted updates on social media, noting that the individual was wearing a blue shirt. Additionally, Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam, which was in proximity, also participated in the search efforts, as reported by Cruise Hive.

“After an extensive but unsuccessful search, the authorities released the ship to continue its journey,” the spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line mentioned.

The exact circumstances surrounding how the man went overboard remain unclear, and he has yet to be publicly identified.