Early this morning, passengers on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Star were startled awake by a “Code Oscar” announcement, the maritime signal for a man overboard emergency.
The incident occurred while the ship was sailing north of Newfoundland, Canada, en route to Nuuk, Greenland, on August 12, 2025. Currently, NCL Star is sailing on a 14-night one-way voyage from New York to Reykjavík.
A cruiser onboard described the Norwegian Star overboard situation on Reddit’s NCL forum, writing:
“We were woken this morning by a ‘Code Oscar’ announcement, which means someone has gone overboard. Several people in our sailing’s Facebook group saw lifeboats being lowered, and one saw the person being recovered. Rumor (unconfirmed) is that they didn’t survive. Given the temperature of the water up here, north of Newfoundland, I would be very surprised if they did.”
In addition, another guest onboard Norwegian Star commented on the thread, “I heard about this an hour ago (2 pm); a few fellow poker players had felt the ship change course (slowing down, maybe turning) and had heard the rumors about a code Oscar.”
Additional reports from passengers in the Norwegian Star’s Facebook group had more details on the overboard emergency. One guest noted the presence of uniformed police on the port side of the staterooms on Deck 9 since the previous night, speculating that it could be related to the cabin of the person who went overboard.
Another Norwegian Star guest explained that the rescue operation took place on the starboard side, although the first rescue boat appeared to launch from the port side, possibly while the ship was turning. They confirmed CPR efforts were made, but expressed concern the individual may not have survived, though this remains unconfirmed.
Photos shared in the group show two small rescue boats on the water during the operation. One witness said they saw a video of the recovery with the rescue of the passenger in the boat. Finally, one guest confirmed the itinerary for Norwegian Star has not been impacted or adjusted at this time.
The Norwegian Star departed New York on August 7, with scheduled ports of call across Canada, Greenland, and Iceland. At the time of the incident, the ship was sailing in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. Currently, NCL Star is around 673 kilometers offshore from St. John’s, Newfoundland.
This incident occurred on Day 6 of the ship’s 14-day itinerary. Norwegian Star had most recently departed Corner Brook, Newfoundland, on August 11, 2025. The ship is currently sailing toward Nuuk, Greenland, with a scheduled arrival on August 14.
Other ports of call on NCL Star’s itinerary include Paamiut and Prins Christian Sund in Greenland before heading to Iceland. The ship will visit cities across the country, including Ísafjörður, Akureyri, and Grundarfjörður. Norwegian Star is scheduled to end the 14-night sailing in Reykjavík, Iceland, on August 21.
Water temperatures in this region can be near freezing even in August, leaving a very narrow window for survival without immediate rescue. Moreover, most overboard incidents have a low likelihood of successful recovery.
When a Code Oscar is declared, cruise ships initiate strict emergency protocols. The vessel is typically stopped and turned to retrace its route, while the crew deploy rescue boats and flotation devices. Authorities such as the Coast Guard are alerted to coordinate search efforts and provide assistance.
According to maritime safety experts, survival time in water temperatures below 10°C (50°F) can be less than one hour without thermal protection. Hypothermia can set in within minutes, making swift recovery critical.
NCL Star is one of the cruise line’s older ships, as the vessel was originally built in 2001. Norwegian Star can hold approximately 2,300 passengers and measures around 91,800 gross tons.
As of now, Norwegian Cruise Line has not publicly confirmed details of the incident or the condition of the individual involved. Candid Cruise and Travel will update this story as details become available.
Thanks for keeping track of this; I’m guessing there will soon be a lot more information, but as of now, this is the only Internet mention of this early morning’s Oscar other than Reddit. (I’m currently on the ship.)
So sorry this happened during your itinerary, hopefully there might still be good news. Keep us updated if there are developments, and safe travels!
The captain was amazing as was the crew. The fact the man was recovered within an hour was amazing. We are not hearing anything on the ship. But we had front row seat (unfortunately) to the search and rescue on the port side. Sorry for his family and loved ones.
Yo voy en el barco, a las 17.30 más o menos oí Oskar por megafonia no sabía el significado, pero el barco se detuvo y desde mi ventana cubierta 5 babor vi una lancha , un empleado nos ha dicho que un pasajero se tiró al mar y lo rescataron muerto