Carnival cruise passenger who jumped overboard ID’d as California dad of three
· Toronto Sun
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A Carnival cruise passenger who is said to have jumped overboard has been identified as a 56-year-old husband and father of three from Southern California.
Thomas Gigler and his wife Michelle, 48, from Redlands, Calif., were celebrating their anniversary on the Carnival Panorama when he went overboard from the 11th deck on Saturday.
A family member alerted crew members about the missing man at about 10:30 a.m. before it was confirmed that Gigler went overboard after security footage was reviewed.
“Carnival Cruise Line confirmed Saturday that a male guest aboard Carnival Panorama jumped overboard while the ship was sailing from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Long Beach, California,” the company said in a statement.
“When notified of a missing guest, the ship’s team initiated search and investigation procedures, including reviewing CCTV footage and notifying both the U.S. and Mexico Coast Guards.”
‘Wasn’t in his right mind’
Gigler remains missing and is presumed dead, leaving his family struggling to understand what happened.
His sister, Wendy Dowden, denied claims that her brother and sister-in-law were having marital problems, insisting to the Daily Mail that the couple “were getting along quite well.”
Dowden believes something else happened to Gigler before he vanished in the Pacific Ocean.
“We think something must have happened in his head,” she said. “He wasn’t in his right mind to have done this.”
The family said Gigler had no known history of mental illness.
Lockdown during search for Thomas
A video another passenger shared on Facebook captured an announcement to those on board about the ongoing search amid an hour-long lockdown.
“We have yet to locate the missing guest. Our fleet operation in Miami and appropriate authorities have been notified,” a cruise official says in the video.
“In the meantime, we continue for the family and friends. Our search efforts continue and we will keep you informed. Thank you again for the cooperation.”
The U.S. Coast Guard’s Rescue Coordination Center Alameda deployed aircraft for its part in the search, while the Mexican Navy and commercial vessels in the area also assisted, the U.S. Coast Guard Southwest District said in a statement.
The ship returned to Long Beach on Sunday after completing its seven-night, round-trip sail that departed on Sept. 13.
Passengers aboard the ship also created a small memorial for Gigler after learning he had gone overboard.
Video shared by passenger Misty Hernandez showed handwritten messages, prayers and other tributes for his family and friends.
“Most of us never knew him. We may never know his story,” she wrote on Facebook alongside a clip of the remembrance wall.
“But for a few days, we were all on the same ship, sharing the same moments, and now we share the heaviness of knowing that someone who boarded this ship will not be going home.”