The father of Levion Parker, a passenger who jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, believes his son is still alive nearly a week later. Despite the US Coast Guard calling off the search for Levion, his father, Francel Parker, remains hopeful that his son, who he described as a skilled diver, is still alive in the waters off the Bahamas. Francel said he prayed over his son and believes that his prayers were heard. He stated that he stands on the word of God and is confident that Levion is alive.
Levion allegedly jumped off the Liberty of the Seas ship at around 4 a.m. in front of his father and younger brother after getting into an argument with his dad, according to witnesses. However, Francel denied that they were arguing and insisted that Levion was not trying to take his own life. He also questioned how his underage son was given so much alcohol on the cruise and demanded answers. Another passenger who witnessed the incident said that Francel was seen arguing with Levion for being drunk before he jumped off the ship in front of them.
After the incident, chaos ensued on the cruise ship as the crew was immediately alerted, and the Coast Guard took over the search for Levion. Francel threw six life rings off the ship in an attempt to save his son before the boat came to a stop about 20 minutes later. The frantic scene left Levion’s family horrified, with observers unable to imagine the pain they were going through. Royal Caribbean stated that they launched search boats immediately and contacted the Coast Guard to aid in the search for the missing 20-year-old.
Overall, between 2000 and 2024, at least 406 people have gone overboard from major cruise lines and ferries. The death rates among overboard passengers and crew members vary significantly among cruise lines, with only about 40% of individuals who fall or jump off the ship being rescued, as reported by retired professor and cruise industry researcher Ross Klein. Despite the challenges of overboard incidents, efforts to rescue individuals are made by cruise companies and the Coast Guard, reflecting the complexity and urgency of such situations. The incident involving Levion Parker serves as a tragic reminder of the dangers and risks associated with overboard incidents on cruise ships.
