As of this morning, the Coast Guard has officially suspended the search for mother and wife Kaylyn Rose Sommer, who jumped off the Mad Decent Boat Party cruise ship at about 7 p.m. EST on Thursday evening.
The search was halted at 11 a.m. local time Saturday, after crews covered 1,378 square nautical miles. The initial report came Thursday when the Norwegian Pearl ship was located 22 miles off the coast of Cuba.
Capt. Todd Coggeshall, Incident Management Chief at the Coast Guard’s Seventh District, had this to say:
“Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the loved ones affected by this terrible tragedy. We are all sons and daughters, and many of our responders have young children themselves. Suspending search efforts is always a painful decision, particularly when it involves a young mother.”
The Coast Guard believes that Sommer went overboard from a height of 80 feet above the water.
The Coast Guard Cutter Alligator, HC-130 aircrews from Air Station Clearwater, HC-144 crew from Air Station Miami, and a Cuban Border Guard surface asset all assisted in the search efforts.
Today, our thoughts and prayers are with Sommer’s family and loved ones. We ask for the upmost respect and understanding of the situation at hand, as those close to her and the community remain in mourning.
