Passenger Miraculously Rescued After Falling Overboard on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas

A passenger on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas had a narrow escape after falling overboard soon after the ship departed from Barcelona on Sunday. The dramatic rescue unfolded on the first night of the ship’s two-week transatlantic voyage, drawing attention on social media.

A Facebook user, claiming to be aboard the Symphony of the Seas, first reported the incident. They detailed that an emergency distress call “Oscar, Oscar, Oscar,” which is the ship’s code for “man overboard,” was announced shortly after 11 p.m. on Sunday. Another passenger posted a video on X (formerly Twitter), showing spotlights and rescue boats searching the waters, as viewed from their balcony. A subsequent video captured the loudspeaker announcement on the ship, confirming the successful rescue of the passenger and their receipt of medical care.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean confirmed the incident to Insider, acknowledging its occurrence on October 29. While the precise details of the incident are still unclear, and the firsthand social media accounts couldn’t be independently verified, the company spokesperson chose not to divulge more information, citing respect for the privacy of the guests involved. They stated, “The ship and crew immediately reported the incident to local authorities and began searching for the guest. Thankfully, the guest was successfully recovered and was brought on board.” They also confirmed that the Symphony of the Seas is continuing its voyage as planned.

Instances of passengers falling overboard on cruise ships are relatively rare. According to the Cruise Lines International Association, there were 212 such incidents between 2009 and 2019. The successful rescue in this case is particularly noteworthy, as only about 28.2 percent of overboard incidents during that period resulted in successful rescues.

In line with the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA) passed by Congress in 2010, cruise ships are mandated to employ technologies that aid in detecting and capturing images of passengers who have fallen overboard, as long as such technology is available. This incident underscores the importance of these safety measures and the effectiveness of the crew’s rapid response in emergency situations.