Florida

Coast Guard Suspends Search For Missing Cruise Ship Passenger Who Went Overboard NW of Cuba

Coast Guard crews suspended its search for a missing Florida man who fell off of a cruise ship off the northwest coast of Cuba.

Officials say that 23-year-old Brandon Paul went overboard from the Carnival Victory as it was sailing around 30 miles north of Pinar Del Rio around 3 a.m. Wednesday.

Planes and boats from the Coast Guard were deployed, as were search and rescue crews from Cuba, who were advised of the search effort.

Paul is a native of Floral City, located between Tampa and Ocala.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Brandon Paul,” said Chris Eddy, search and rescue mission coordinator, Seventh Coast Guard District Command Center. “Making the choice to suspend a search is never an easy decision and one the Coast Guard doesn’t take lightly, and despite our best efforts, we were unable to reunite Paul with his family.”

The Coast Guard searched for more than 16 hours covering 3,469 square miles.

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