California Father Thomas Gigler Missing After Going Overboard From Carnival Panorama

What was supposed to be a week-long family vacation and anniversary celebration ended in tragedy when California father Thomas Gigler, 56, went overboard from the Carnival Panorama while the cruise ship was returning to Long Beach from Mexico.

Gigler was traveling with his wife, Michelle, and their three sons, ages 13, 11 and 9. The family had boarded the ship in Long Beach on September 13 for a seven-night Mexican Riviera cruise, which included stops in Mexico before the vessel began its return journey. The couple had also been preparing to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, Gigler was last seen at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Friday, September 18. His disappearance was reported to authorities at about 1:30 p.m. the following day while the ship was approximately 57 miles off the Mexican coast.

After the family reported him missing, the cruise crew began searching the vessel. Security footage was later reviewed and showed Gigler going overboard. The circumstances surrounding what led to him going over the railing remain unclear, and the incident remains under investigation.

Passengers aboard the Carnival Panorama were asked to remain in their cabins while crew members conducted the search. As word of the tragedy spread, some passengers reportedly left messages and small mementos for Gigler’s family as they waited for news.

The search soon expanded beyond the cruise ship. The U.S. Coast Guard’s Rescue Coordination Center Alameda coordinated the operation with Mexican maritime authorities. Coast Guard aircraft, a Mexican Navy vessel and six other vessels joined the effort, searching the Pacific Ocean from both the air and the surface.

Crews ultimately searched more than 1,707 square miles of ocean during more than 41 hours of coordinated search operations. Despite the extensive effort, no sightings of Gigler were reported. On September 22, the Coast Guard announced that active search operations had been suspended pending new information.

The Coast Guard expressed its condolences to Gigler’s family, acknowledging the difficulty of suspending a search when someone remains missing at sea. Authorities said the decision was made after considering the available information and the area already covered.

For Michelle and the couple’s three young sons, the disappearance came during what was supposed to be a special family trip. Instead, they were left facing uncertainty after watching a vacation turn into a massive search across the Pacific.

Thomas Gigler has not been found. The Coast Guard search has been suspended, while the circumstances surrounding his disappearance continue to be investigated.

Source: Daily mail