The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for a 35-year-old man who was reported missing from a Carnival cruise ship off of Florida's Atlantic Coast.
The agency said the man, identified as Ronnie Peale, fell from the Carnival Magic about 185 miles east of Jacksonville early Monday.
The man's companion reported him missing, and the ship's crew notified the Coast Guard. Security footage on the ship shows that the man “leaned over the railing of his stateroom balcony and dropped into the water" around 4 a.m., a statement said.
The Coast Guard searched for 60 hours, covering some 5,171 square miles through Wednesday evening. The search included air crews and the Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba, along with U.S. Navy ships and aircraft in the area.
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“The decision to suspend the active search efforts pending further development is never one we take lightly. We offer our most sincere condolences to Mr. Peale’s family and friends," Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hooper said in a statement.
Carnival said the ship returned to port in Norfolk, Virginia. The ship can hold nearly 4,000 guests and is about 1,000 feet (300 meters) long.
