The Coast Guard search for a 20-year-old performer who fell off of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship on Christmas has been suspended on Dec. 27.
Royal Caribbean said in a statement that after Hough didn’t report to work on Tuesday crew members checked security camera footage and found that Hough had entered an area on the deck around 4 a.m. and was not seen on camera again.
Federal law requires cruise ships to install systems that detect when people go overboard “to the extent that such technology is available,” but most ships don’t have them, with cruise line officials claiming the technology doesn’t work properly, according to the Herald.
The ship that Hough was performing on continued on its course and arrived in St. Maarten on Wednesday.
He later posted a video showing him performing in the musical “Grease” on board. Talent agency Russell Smith Associates announced in July that Hough was joining the cast.
He had previously studied at the Urdang Academy in London, which said in a post that it was praying for him to be found.
Four other people have fallen off of cruise ships since late November, all of whom were never found. One of those cases was on the Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas.
A 27-year-old crew member fell from the ship on Nov. 22 and has not been found as of yet.
Friend Speaks Out
One of Hough’s friends, who chose not to be named, said she was heartbroken by the news.“His infectious laugh and beaming smile is enough to pull anyone out from feeling down in the dumps. He’s helped me through some of the hardest times in my life and for that I’m eternally grateful.”
She added, “I hope and pray we get our Arron back home where he belongs, the light of our lives has gone out.”