FL FL - Kevin McGrath, 26, missing from a cruise ship, Miami, 4 Sept 2023

[GuyfromCanada]

MIAMI (WSVN) - The Miami-Dade County Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating a missing 26-year-old man.

Kevin McGrath, who has been missing since Monday, was last seen at the Port of Miami, specifically at 1015 North America Way. Police said he was aboard the Carnival Cruise Ship Conquest, cabin #1326, at approximately 2:00 a.m.

He stands at 5 feet 9 inches tall, and weighs approximately 170 pounds. He has brown eyes and brown hair. At the time of his disappearance, McGrath was wearing a black t-shirt, black shorts, and gray sneakers.

Anyone with information on McGrath’s whereabouts can contact Detective M. Ritch Jr. or any detective from the Miami-Dade Police Department at (305) 715-3300. Additionally, anonymous tips can be provided to Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).

Miami-Dade Police seek public’s assistance in locating man last seen at Port of Miami - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

MIAMI (WSVN) - The Miami-Dade County Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating a missing 26-year-old man. Kevin McGrath, who has been missing<a class="excerpt-read-more"...

wsvn.com

 

[ArianeEmory]

This is a slightly confusing one. The actual headline says he was “last seen at the Port of Miami”. They give the street address of the port complex, I assume specifically the Carnival terminal at the Port of Miami. (The Port of Miami is HUGE.)

But the “port of Miami” is not the same thing as being on a ship. That ship has also now returned to sea.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

According to Carnival Cruise Line, McGrath was last seen at about 7 a.m. Monday by his cabinmate, just around the time that guests were supposed to be getting off the ship.

After an “extensive search,” McGrath was nowhere to be found on the ship, officials said.
The U.S. Coast Guard was called in to do a search in the surrounding waters, but he was not found there.

“The guest was not detected by surveillance systems, including U.S. Customs and Border Patrol during the debarkation process,” the Carnival Cruise Line statement said. “Miami Dade police eventually cleared the ship to sail.”

Carnival Cruise passenger reported missing after ship returns to Florida

Officials in South Florida said they are searching for a missing man who was last seen on a Carnival Cruise ship.

www.wfla.com

Debarkation morning can be a chaotic experience for travelers, with different passengers able to debark at different times based on their assigned luggage tags or loyalty levels. Guests may also choose self-assist debarkation to be the first to leave the vessel if they carry off all their luggage without assistance.

It is unknown whether McGrath and his traveling companion were waiting for an assigned debarkation time or if they chose to leave the ship as soon as possible. It has also not been released whether or not McGrath lives locally in South Florida or if he also failed to check in for further post-cruise travel plans

Passenger Reported Missing From Carnival Cruise Ship

A man has been reported missing from Carnival Conquest after failing to process through debarkation in Miami.

www.cruisehive.com

 

[GraceG]

This article clarifies that cameras did not show Mr. McGrath going overboard after he was last seen when passengers were starting to debark. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article278970824.html

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The 26-year-old was set to meet his family for breakfast ahead of the ship’s return, however, his family said that he never showed up for the meal.

Carnival Cruise passenger, 26, reported missing after ship returns to Florida

A 26-year-old man was aboard a Carnival Cruise from Miami to Bimini, Bahamas, over the Labor Day holiday weekend but was nowhere to be found when the vessel returned to the US on Monday.

nypost.com

 

[ch_13]

According to Carnival Cruise Line, McGrath was last seen at about 7 a.m. Monday by his cabinmate, just around the time that guests were supposed to be getting off the ship.

Do we know who his roommate was? It seems like he was traveling with family, so I expect it was either a family member or a significant other.

I wonder when was the last time he was seen by someone other than the roommate.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Do we know who his roommate was? It seems like he was traveling with family, so I expect it was either a family member or a significant other.

I wonder when was the last time he was seen by someone other than the roommate.

*I didn’t realize it is his brother who last saw Kevin.

Angel Rodriguez, a detective for the Miami-Dade Police Department, told PEOPLE that “McGrath was last seen by his brother at approximately 2 a.m. at his cabin.”

26-Year-Old Reported Missing After Cruise Ship Returns to Florida: 'He Never Arrived'

Authorities are searching for Kevin McGrath who was last seen by his brother aboard a Florida Carnival Cruise ship returning from Bimini, Bahamas.

people.com

 

[ArianeEmory]

Two things from the updated article:

1. "Cruise employees performed an "extensive" search of the ship, but the spokesperson said the 26-year-old wasn't found."
2. "McGrath wasn't detected by the ship's surveillance systems and wasn't seen by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol during the cruise's debarkation process."

So that theoretically leaves out 'stowaway', and it also leaves out 'he ditched his family and completed the CBP disembarkation process normally'.

According to this Business Insider article, the last person to see him was his BROTHER, and that's the cabin mate referred to. This article also says the last sighting was at 2am (by the brother), and that he was reported missing at 7am. <modsnip>

Coast Guard is searching the area.

I'm kind of surprised CBP & Miami police cleared the ship to depart again, but the almighty dollar and all that.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

From the "MISSING" poster: The missing person may be in need of services. More details would be helpful, but maybe KM has some type of disability, on the spectrum, or mental health issues. JMO

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

From the "MISSING" poster: The missing person may be in need of services. More details would be helpful, but maybe KM has some type of disability, on the spectrum, or mental health issues. JMO

Coming to say just this same thing. "may be in need of services" tells us something. Well, tells ME something anyway. Gives me this same idea, making this even more worrisome.

 

[GMS]

This article from Local 10 News in Miami notes the confusion about the time discrepancy when KM was last seen. It also adds that KM was on the cruise with a large group of family members celebrating their fathers 60th birthday. (Excerpts bbm)

"According to authorities, Kevin McGrath was last seen around 2 a.m. Monday inside his cabin onboard the Carnival Conquest ship. A statement from the cruise line, however, said his cabin mate actually last saw him around 7 a.m. that morning “around the time the debarkation of guests was beginning.”

"McGrath’s sister told Local 10 News reporter Roy Ramos that her brother was aboard the ship with several relatives celebrating their father’s 60th birthday."

Man, 26, disappears from Carnival cruise ship after docking in Miami

Miami-Dade police are searching for a 26-year-old man who they said was reported missing by a relative after the Carnival cruise they were on docked at PortMiami.

www.local10.com

 

[LadyL]

very strange
hopefully this is just some misunderstanding and he'll contact his family

 

[ArianeEmory]

"According to authorities, Kevin McGrath was last seen around 2 a.m. Monday inside his cabin onboard the Carnival Conquest ship. A statement from the cruise line, however, said his cabin mate actually last saw him around 7 a.m. that morning “around the time the debarkation of guests was beginning.”

JMO: To me it makes more sense that 7am was when he was *reported* missing. This might be the time the family was waking up to realize he was missing. It’s also around the time a cruise ship has typically completed docking and is getting ready to unload passengers. I’ve been on quite a few cruises out of Port of Miami, and this is around the time I might also be turning my cellphone data back on (you typically leave the phone on airplane mode at sea, otherwise nasty cell bills happen). To me it all just lines up better that this was when everyone realized he was gone, and either contacted LE themselves or had the Cruise line do it.

I also tend to trust LE’s report of the last time he was seen over the cruise line‘s report. I like cruising but cruise companies can be shady as heck.

Again, all JMO. My gut instinct is he went overboard the night before, either intentionally or not. But even at 2am, the ship would have been very close to the coast. (Not saying that means he survived … but it might increase the odds of finding his body if he did not.)

 

[steeltowngirl]

Do cruise ships provide bands or proprietary cards to charge drinks and extras? Thinking they could check the last place on the ship he made a purchase. For example, if it was at a bar, check purchases made by other passengers around the same time. Talk to servers and wait staff.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Open at night on the Conquest:

The Tahiti Casino (Deck 5, midship) is open every night (except during overnight port calls) and features a multitude of slot machines and electronic poker, along with blackjack, craps, roulette, Texas Hold'em and Let it Ride poker. Smoking is permitted in the casino.

Live music is available every night in several areas of the ship, but it's most prominent in the lobby (Deck 3, midship) and along the Deck 5 promenade, next to the casino. There's also Latin music and dancing every night in Alfred's (Deck 4, aft) and a sing-along piano jam in Blues (Deck 5, aft).

Henri's Nightclub (Deck 5, aft) doesn't get grooving until after midnight when DJ Commodus starts spinning hits and mixes.

Looking for things to do on Carnival Conquest? See what cruise experts had to say about Carnival Conquest activities, onboard entertainment, and whether the ship is kid friendly on Cruise Critic.

Looking for things to do on Carnival Conquest Activities, Entertainment & Amenities for Kids & Adults on Cruise Critic? See what cruise experts had to say about Carnival Conquest Activities, Entertainment & Amenities for Kids & Adults on Cruise Critic activities, onboard entertainment, and...

www.cruisecritic.com

​

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Cellphone video captured Kevin McGrath dancing to the music on a Carnival cruise Sunday evening and then...

"We know that at 3:30 in the morning, he used the key card to get back in the room and anytime between then and 7:30 in the morning when he was supposed to meet my family for breakfast is when he went missing," his sister said.

Danielle McGrath says when her brother didn't show up to disembark later either, they demanded Carnival Cruises check surveillance, but still no answers.

"I guess they have some type of sensors where it triggers if someone falls overboard and they said nothing went off," she said.

So, they contacted Miami PD and federal authorities.

"The U.S. Coast Guard they have been amazing; they searched the water top to bottom, left to right, everything you can think of and they even came out to Port St. Lucie," Danielle said.

Search suspended: Family of missing Port St. Lucie man last seen aboard Carnival Cruise speaks out

Danielle McGrath says it is very out of character for her brother Kevin to take off or cut off communication, but on a family trip, he disappeared without a trace.

www.wpbf.com

 

[steeltowngirl]

So he was seen at 2 am in the cabin room, then at 3:30 am, he used his key card to again enter the room. If the news report is correct, then he left the room and returned between 2 - 3:30 am. Was he alone when he returned at 3:30 am? When did he leave again? Where was his brother after 2 am - did he also leave the room?

Could he have left the ship with a crew member that had access to disembark, since the ship was docked?

This is beginning to feel like foul play.

 

[steeltowngirl]

“My jaw just dropped,” said friend Mitchell Branch. “I was speechless. I didn’t know what to say.”

Branch said he and Kevin served in the U.S. Army together.

“We were in the same unit, same battalion, same company,” he said.

He and other family members say Kevin would never disappear and was always in good spirits.

“He’s always the light of the room,” Branch said.

“He has this huge personality that will definitely stick out in any room,” McGrath said. “He’s very straightforward, goofy, he’s funny.”

‘My brother didn't just vanish': Family frustrated after Carnival Cruise passenger disappears

Kevin McGrath has been missing since Monday. Carnival officials said he wasn’t seen in surveillance footage.

www.nbcmiami.com

 

[neesaki]

“My jaw just dropped,” said friend Mitchell Branch. “I was speechless. I didn’t know what to say.”

Branch said he and Kevin served in the U.S. Army together.

“We were in the same unit, same battalion, same company,” he said.

He and other family members say Kevin would never disappear and was always in good spirits.

“He’s always the light of the room,” Branch said.

“He has this huge personality that will definitely stick out in any room,” McGrath said. “He’s very straightforward, goofy, he’s funny.”

‘My brother didn't just vanish': Family frustrated after Carnival Cruise passenger disappears

Kevin McGrath has been missing since Monday. Carnival officials said he wasn’t seen in surveillance footage.

www.nbcmiami.com

Strange. What is it with cruise ships. I mean, it’s not as though you’re out in the wilderness on a hiking trail, where you can easily get separated, get off trail, then lost. There are people all around on a ship. It’s just eerie. Jmo

 

[Marysmith]

This is so odd. I sure hope he’s ok.