Search Suspended For Man Who Fell From Cruise Ship Off FL Coast

JACKSONVILLE, FL — The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for a man who went overboard Monday while traveling on the Carnival Magic cruise ship off the coast of Florida.

In a statement released Wednesday night, Coast Guard officials said crews spent 60 hours searching more than 5,171 square miles after 35-year-old Ronnie Lee Peale Jr. fell from his stateroom balcony 186 miles east of Jacksonville.

The ship was returning from the Bahamas to Norfolk, Virginia when Peale went overboard, reports said.

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"The Seventh Coast Guard District dispatched multiple search and rescue assets as soon as we were notified of the missing person," Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hooper said in a statement. "The decision to suspend the active search efforts pending further development is never one we take lightly. We offer our most sincere condolences to Mr. Peale’s family and friends."

According to reports, Peale, who lived in New Hope, Virginia, was traveling with fiancee Jennilyn Blosser and her family when he fell from the ship. Carnival told Insider that security camera footage showed Peale fall overboard just after 4 a.m.

"He was the life of the party. It just hurts too much even to type, let alone talk about it," Blosser told WTKR. "He loved the cruise life, being able to drink, gamble and socialize put him in his happy place. This was his first cruise and I'm sure he would have been willing to do one monthly."

Peale's mother, Linda Peale, told WRIC her son was a "wonderful man" who loved music, meeting new people, and his two dogs.

Anyone with new information is asked to call the Coast Guard District Seven Command Center at 305-415-6800.