Search Underway for Missing Cruise Passenger in Mexico

Multiple government agencies are now involved in an urgent search for a male cruise passenger missing from Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas. Brad Solomon debarked the ship while visiting Cozumel on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, but became separated from his family and did not return to the ship before departure.

As Solomon has a type of dementia and can struggle with communication, it is essential that he be found and authorities are searching with land, air, and sea resources in an attempt to locate the missing man as quickly as possible.

Elderly Guest Missing From World’s Largest Cruise Ship

Edmond Bradley Solomon and his family were enjoying a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise aboard Icon of the Seas, but when the ship visited Cozumel – the busiest cruise port in the Caribbean – Solomon became separated from his family members and did not return to the ship before departure.

The 66-year-old guest suffers from frontotemporal dementia with communication difficulties and struggles with complex processes. His wife, Mimi, notified the Cozumel police immediately after noticing her husband’s absence, and remained in Cozumel in a local hotel as the cruise ship departed, hoping to have word of her husband.

According to Mexico News Daily, a local taxi driver responded to alerts about Solomon’s disappearance, reporting that he had picked up a foreign tourist matching the man’s description.

Solomon hailed the taxi at roughly 2:30 p.m., on 65th Avenue – one of the community’s main streets but nearly a mile from the cruise ship berth. It is not known where Solomon was last seen with his family, whether they were still in the port welcome area or had moved further into the town.

The taxi driver said Solomon claimed to have no money and instead traded his wristwatch for the cab fare to a beach. No information about where the driver may have dropped Solomon off has been released, but authorities have concentrated the initial efforts of their search in the La Pasión island region of Cozumel’s northern shore.

At the moment, the Municipal Police of Cozumel as well as other local agencies are involved in the intensive search efforts, including video surveillance resources in an attempt to locate Solomon. Alerts have also been sent out through social media to encourage community assistance.

Solomon was last seen wearing a white shirt and gray shorts, a blue cap, sunglasses, and white shoes. Family members have established a GoFundMe campaign to help with expenses for his wife as she remains in Cozumel during the search.

Why Did the Ship Leave?

Icon of the Seas departed Miami on Saturday, March 30 for the 7-night sailing, and had already visited Costa Maya and Roatan before stopping at Cozumel on Wednesday. There has been no delay to the ship’s itinerary, and the ship is scheduled to arrive back in Miami on Saturday, April 6.

Read Also: IDEAL Things to Do in Cozumel, Mexico

The largest cruise ship in the world, the 248,663-gross-ton ship can welcome 5,610 guests at double occupancy, and up to 7,600 passengers when fully booked. During the busy spring break period from mid-March through mid-April, the ship is more likely to be fully booked.

Furthermore, at the time Solomon went missing, it was a busy day in Cozumel with five cruise ships in port. In addition to Icon of the Seas, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Ascent, Carnival Valor, and Norwegian Prima were all visiting the island.

Given the recent extensive media coverage of guests “left stranded” in Africa after failing to return to a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, Norwegian Dawn, by the published departure time, Solomon’s disappearance is sure to come under scrutiny as well.

It should be noted that Solomon was not on any type of shore tour, and was not in contact with the ship at the time he was reported missing. Because he suffers from dementia, he could easily become disoriented and distracted as to his location, how to get back to the ship, and even whom he was traveling with.

Lack of judgment, loss of inhibition, compulsive behaviors, trouble understanding and using spoken language, speech hesitation, and word forgetfulness are all symptoms of frontotemporal dementia, which Solomon suffers from. The extent of his condition has not been disclosed, but it could have contributed to his disappearance.

Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with Solomon and his family members at this distressing time, with the hopes that he is found safely very soon.