Thomas Gigler, 56, went overboard from the Carnival Panorama on Sept. 18 off Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, while sailing to Long Beach. His wife and three sons were aboard; U.S. and Mexican Coast Guards joined the search after the ship confirmed the incident.
His wife, Michelle, reportedly raised the alarm Friday evening and asked staff for help the next morning. Passengers were ordered back to their rooms for about an hour; Carnival said it reviewed CCTV and notified both Coast Guards, and the U.S. Coast Guard dispatched an aircraft to assist the search.
Gigler’s sister, Wendy Dowden, told the Daily Mail she suspected he may have experienced a mental health episode and said he and his wife had been getting along. The couple were due to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary days after the incident.
