Co-Worker Reports Cruise Ship Employee Went Overboard

Jan. 1, 2009— -- The Coast Guard is searching the waters off Florida for a cruise ship employee who reportedly fell overboard.

The Coast Guard says the man's co-workers on the Carnival Sensation reported him falling overboard around 1 a.m. Thursday. Carnival said in a statement that the man, a member of the entertainment staff, was not on duty at the time and that six other crew members saw him fall. Eyewitnesses reported it was clearly an accident.

Helicopters and patrol boats were searching the waters east of Vero Beach for the man. The cruise ship initially helped with the search but has returned to port.

Carnival Corp., the world's largest cruise operator, is based in Miami. The ship was returning from a four-day cruise to the Bahamas. The man's name was not released.