Passengers on board also recounted the search efforts. One passenger shared on social media:
“There was an announcement over the PA saying someone went overboard, so the ship was going to stop and turn around to try and locate the person. [The] ship was stopped for a few hours. Safety boats were deployed with floodlights to illuminate the surrounding area. Another cruise ship nearby had its floodlights on searching as well.”
Despite these efforts, the ship resumed its journey, and the search was later handed over to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Unanswered Questions
Burch’s mother, Carnell Burch, shared with TMZ that Taime Downe called her on Monday to inform her of Kimberly’s death. However, she stated it remains “still unclear” whether Kimberly “jumped or accidentally fell” from the ship.
Carnell emphasized that her daughter was not experiencing depression or emotional distress and had been looking forward to the trip. She also noted that Kimberly had been drinking, which she described as “out of character for her.”
