Passenger Reported Missing From Carnival Cruise Ship

A male passenger has been reported missing from Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Conquest after failing to debark the ship as scheduled on Monday, September 4, 2023.

Authorities are actively searching for the man, though the ship has been cleared and has already set sail on its next voyage to the Bahamas.

Man Missing From Carnival Conquest

As guests were debarking from the 110,000-gross ton Carnival Conquest in Miami on Monday, September 4, a male passenger failed to be recorded through either the onboard surveillance systems or US Customs and Border Patrol immigration checks.

Identified as 26-year-old Kevin McGrath, the guest is officially considered missing and authorities have instituted search procedures. McGrath is a black man with dark hair last seen wearing a black t-shirt, black shorts, and gray sneakers. He is 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs 170 pounds.

McGrath was reported missing on Monday, though he was seen at approximately 2 a.m. that morning by his traveling companion. The missing person report was made at roughly 7 a.m. as guests prepared to debark the ship.

Carnival Conquest had just returned from a 3-night cruise to Bimini in the Bahamas, and McGrath was not accounted for during standard debarkation procedures.

“The guest was not detected by surveillance systems, including U.S. Customs and Border Patrol during the debarkation process,” a statement from Carnival Cruise Line said. “Miami Dade police eventually cleared the ship to sail.”

Debarkation morning can be a chaotic experience for travelers, with different passengers able to debark at different times based on their assigned luggage tags or loyalty levels. Guests may also choose self-assist debarkation to be the first to leave the vessel if they carry off all their luggage without assistance.

It is unknown whether McGrath and his traveling companion were waiting for an assigned debarkation time or if they chose to leave the ship as soon as possible. It has also not been released whether or not McGrath lives locally in South Florida or if he also failed to check in for further post-cruise travel plans.

Search Underway

When McGrath’s absence was noted, authorities were alerted and a full shipwide search was initiated, as is standard procedure for any missing guests or possible overboard alert.

Read Also: What Happens During a Cruise Ship Overboard Alarm?

The US Coast Guard was informed and searched surrounding waters near PortMiami, but with no success. Also involved in the investigation is the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Special Victims Bureau, as officials have said the guest may need special services.

The nature of those services or other information about the guest has not been revealed to safeguard his privacy and keep from hampering the investigation.

Carnival Cruise Line’s care team is assisting McGrath’s family and keeping them updated on search efforts.

Carnival Conquest is now on its next cruise, a 4-night sailing to the Bahamas that will visit the cruise line’s private island destination, Half Moon Cay, as well as Nassau, before returning to PortMiami on Friday, September 8.

The first-in-its-class vessel can welcome 2,980 guests aboard, and is currently homeported from Miami offering 3- and 4-night sailings to the Bahamas, as well as occasional Western Caribbean itineraries that visit destinations such as Key West, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Honduras, depending on the cruise length and departure date.

McGrath is not the only missing guest from a cruise ship to be searched for in recent days. A 19-year-old passenger was reported overboard from Royal Caribbean International’s Wonder of the Seas on August 29, and family members have continued search efforts for that missing guest.

Cruise Hive hopes all search efforts will ultimately be successful and the missing guests will be safely located.