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Cruise passenger reported missing after ship returns to Florida port

Last seen on the ship the morning before Carnival Conquest docked, Kevin McGrath, 26, has still not been located

Amelia Neath
Wednesday 13 September 2023 12:38 EDT
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Carnival Conquest returned from a four-day trip round the Bahamas to Miami, when the family alerted authorities Kevin McGrath was missing
Carnival Conquest returned from a four-day trip round the Bahamas to Miami, when the family alerted authorities Kevin McGrath was missing (Education Images/ Universal Images group via Getty Images)

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A man has gone missing after a Carnival cruise ship docked in Miami, Florida, with police and federal officials trying to locate his whereabouts.

Kevin McGrath, 26, was last seen aboard the Carnival Conquest cruise ship in his cabin at 2am on Monday by his brother, said Carnival in a statement.

The Coast Guard are still searching around the Port of Miami and along the South Florida shore to try and find Mr McGrath.

Mr McGrath was supposed to meet his family for breakfast on the ship before it docked at Port Miami, but never turned up, authorities said.

A missing persons report was filed by his family at 7am, and the man “was not located on board despite an extensive search."

The Miami-Dade police issued a missing person alert Tuesday morning for Mr McGrath. He was last seen wearing a black shirt, shorts and grey sneakers. He is 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing 170 pounds, and has brown hair and brown eyes. Police also added he “may be in need of services.”

After Mr McGrath could not be located aboard the cruise ship, the Coast Guard was contacted and Miami police officers joined the search.

Police are still on the search for missing Carnival passenger Kevin McGrath
Police are still on the search for missing Carnival passenger Kevin McGrath (Miami-Dade Police)

"The guest was not detected by surveillance systems, including U.S. Customs and Border Patrol during the debarkation process," said a spokesperson for Carnival.

“A search of the ship’s cameras and security devices did not indicate he went overboard,” a police spokesperson told The Post.

The cruise ship had just returned from a four-day sail around the Bahamas, before returning to Miami.

Miami-Dade Police issued a missing persons alert
Miami-Dade Police issued a missing persons alert (Miami-Dade Police)

The ship was cleared by the police in order for Carnival Conquest to set sail again, and is now back in the Bahamas for its next trip, according to CruiseMapper.

This incident has come just after a man, 19, named Sigmund Ropich fell overboard on the world’s largest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas, last week.

Other incidents have also occurred on Carnival cruise ships, such as a man who went missing on the Carnival Magic in the Gulf of Mexico in November, however, he was fortunately found.

It is estimated that 19 people go overboard on cruise ships each year, and only around four people are rescued, according to Insider.

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