How Often Do People Jump Off Cruise Ships?

The average number of passengers who jump off cruise ships varies annually, but the average number is around 25 incidents per year. The survival rate after jumping off a cruise ship is around 25%, with factors such as speed, location, and injuries affecting the outcome. Jumpers may face legal consequences and a survival rate of 17% to 25%.

According to CruiseJunkie.com, there were 27 worldwide cases in 2015, and 212 overboard incidents on cruise ships from 2009 to 2019. However, only 48 of those hundreds were successfully rescued. Around 20 to 25 individuals fall overboard every year, often due to intoxication or deliberate actions. With odds of 1 in 1.3 million, such incidents are exceptionally uncommon. Since 2000, 284 people have fallen off cruise ships, and another 41 from large ferries, an average of about 1.5 people per month.

The cruise industry claims that accidental falls do not happen when they occur, but onboard safety measures and surveillance systems help reduce the risk of accidental overboard incidents. An average of 25 people jump from cruise ships each year for multiple reasons, including alcohol, drugs, suicide, doing something foolhardy, or genuinely by accident.

On average, 19 people go overboard on cruise ships every year, with about four people being successfully rescued. 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, the chances of finding them are remote. In summary, most people who don’t fall overboard are usually suicides.