Man Jumps From Carnival Cruise Ship Bound For Florida

MIAMI, FL — The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday night suspended the search for a 30-year-old man they say jumped from a Carnival cruise ship bound for Florida.

According to officials, Jaylen Hill was last seen around 8 a.m. Sunday before going overboard on the Carnival Elation. The ship was located about 95 miles east of Melbourne at the time of Hill's disappearance, the Coast Guard said.

A Carnival spokesperson said the ship was returning to Jacksonville after a four-day trip to the Bahamas, WFLA reported.

"The crew was notified by his traveling companion late in the afternoon about his missing status after he had not been seen all day," a Carnival release obtained by WFLA. "Sadly, after an exhaustive on-board search and a review of security camera video it was determined that he jumped."

Coast Guard air and surface crews searched more than 1,347 square miles before suspending the search shortly before 9 p.m. Monday.

"We offer our deepest condolences to the Hill family," U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Eric Rodriguez said. "Our crews take our life-saving mission very seriously. Any time we can't bring a loved one home to their family is a pain we all feel."

Carnival and its care team are working to support Hill's family, according to WFLA.