How Many People Fell Off a Cruise Ship?

By Anna Duncan

In recent news, there have been reports of people falling off cruise ships. But just how many people have gone overboard in the past?

According to the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), only around 300 people have gone overboard from cruise ships in the past 30 years. In comparison, during the same period, approximately 11 million passengers sailed on CLIA member ships. This means that less than 0.003 percent of passengers go overboard each year.

However, the actual number of people who have gone overboard is likely higher because not all cases are reported or investigated by authorities or cruise lines. Additionally, some cases may be incorrectly classified as “missing” or “presumed drowned” when they were actually overboard incidents.

Most often, these incidents occur when passengers become intoxicated and accidentally fall into the water. In other cases, passengers may choose to jump overboard – either as an attempt to commit suicide or for other reasons.

Cruise ship staff are trained to spot potential risks, such as intoxicated passengers wandering near the railing late at night or exhibiting signs of distress. Additionally, safety protocols are in place onboard cruise ships that require staff to report any person missing from their cabin after a certain length of time has passed without them being seen onboard.

In conclusion, while there is no exact answer as to how many people fall off cruise ships each year, it is estimated that only a small percentage of passengers do so – and that cruises take various precautions to ensure passenger safety onboard their vessels.