How Many Passengers Fall Off Cruise Ships?

Between 2009 and 2019, 212 overboard incidents occurred on cruise ships, with only 48 of those individuals being successfully rescued. The Cruise Lines International Association reported that an average of 19 passengers fall off cruise ships per year, with 26 people falling overboard in 2019 out of the 29 million guests who took a cruise. Between 2000 and 2021, 373 cruise and ferry passengers and crew members fell overboard, with 2019 recording the highest total: 29.

In 2023, at least 10 people have gone overboard off major cruise line ships, with two of those people being rescued and survived. It is estimated that one or two people go overboard each month out of roughly 2.5 million who cruise during the same time frame. As of 2023, 386 cruise and ferry passengers and crew have gone overboard since 2000. The safest cruise lines were able to rescue only 40% of overboard passengers, and most save far fewer. The rescue rate was as follows: only 17% to 25% of the fallen passengers survive.

Some laws, like the Cruise Vessel Safety Act, protect passengers, but when passengers are on board the ship, they are not protected by the law. As of July 1, new regulations have been implemented, including all taxes and fees in prices.