The search for a Virginia man who went overboard Monday during his first cruise trip off the coast of Florida was suspended late Wednesday.
The U.S. Coast Guard made the decision to halt the search for 35-year-old Ronnie Peale Jr. after combing more than 5,171 square miles spanning over 60 hours since the Carnival Cruise passenger leapt from a balcony into the ocean roughly 186 miles east of Jacksonville Monday.
“The decision to suspend the active search efforts pending further development is never one we take lightly,” Coast Guard District Seven mission coordinator Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hooper said.
“We offer our most sincere condolences to Mr. Peale's family and friends.”
Peale's girlfriend reported him missing Monday afternoon launching an internal investigation into his disappearance.
“An initial review of closed circuit security footage confirms that he leaned over the railing of his stateroom balcony and dropped into the water at approximately 4:10 a.m.,” a statement from Carnival Cruise Line reads.
The passenger's girlfriend said that the incident looked like he accidentally plummeted into the ocean.
“It's not like he was like jumping, like you know, it wasn't like that at all,” she said.
