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Saturday, January 17, 2009

Elderly Couple Missing From Cruise Ship


LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The U.S. Coast Guard was searching Friday for an elderly couple who authorities believe fell off a Carnival Cruise ship between Long Beach and northern Mexico.

A 90-year-old man and his 79-year-old wife were aboard the Carnival Paradise when it left Monday from Long Beach, but they could not be found when it returned Friday morning, the FBI said.

A Coast Guard airplane was expected to conduct an all-night search between Ensenada, Mexico, Catalina Island and Long Beach, said Petty Officer 2nd Class Prentice Danner, a Coast Guard spokesman.

Miami-based Carnival said the couple's cabin door was double-locked from the inside with a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the handle. Their belongings remained inside and the door leading from the cabin to the private balcony was unlocked.

"(They) are missing and presumed to have gone overboard," Carnival said in a statement.

The couple's names and hometowns have not been released. FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said the couple were last seen Tuesday night near their cabin. She said federal agents were interviewing passengers and crew and processing evidence.

The cruise started in Long Beach and stopped in Santa Catalina Island and Ensenada. Carnival spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz said she did not know if the couple disembarked at either location.

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