Man Jumps Overboard From Carnival Cruise Ship Into Gulf of Mexico

On Friday night around 6:30pm, Carnival officials confirm passengers witnessing a male passenger aboard the Conquest jumping overboard while cruising near Cozumel in the Gulf of Mexico.

When news of the event reached Carnival officials, the ship returned to the location where the man was last seen and began a search and rescue mission for the man who has now been identified by the Houston Chronicle as 39-year-old Wayne Markham of Forney, Texas. 

According to Carnival, Mexican authorities searched the Conquest and then allowed the ship to continue on its scheduled voyage, leaving the search and rescue efforts to them.  The Mexican Navy continues to search for Markham in the Gulf of Mexico and Carnival officials added that they are working with the man’s family to provide support in this time of difficulty and uncertainty.

Carnival’s Conquest had departed from Galveston, Texas on September 18th and was expected to return as planned on Sunday after a 7-day cruise.

UPDATE:  Due to some confusion about the chain of events with the incident, MarEx outreached to Carnival officials.  They confirm that the man was seen by multiple eyewitnesses jumping off one of the open decks, and the witnesses thereby notified a man overboard to the Carnival Conquest personnel.