The frantic search for a Norwegian Cruise Line passenger who went overboard has been called off.

A spokesperson for the cruise line confirmed to Fox News Digital that the 51-year-old went overboard from Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic late Thursday afternoon. 

The incident was first noted at approximately 3 p.m. as Norwegian Epic was sailing from Ocho Rios, Jamaica en route to Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas. 

The passenger was on the cruise with his family, the spokesperson said. The cruise left from Port Canaveral, Florida on Saturday, Dec. 21 and was a seven-night Western Caribbean voyage.

DISNEY CRUISE LINE NO LONGER ACCEPTING PHOTOCOPIES OF GUEST BIRTH CERTIFICATES

The cruise line said that authorities were quickly notified and search and rescue efforts were immediately implemented. 

SOCIAL MEDIA USERS GET DRAMATIC AFTER CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIP HITS ICE IN ALASKA: ‘TITANIC MOMENT’

“After an extensive search that was unfortunately unsuccessful, the ship was released by the authorities to continue its voyage,” the spokesperson said. 

The Norwegian Epic, which was built in 2010 and refurbished in 2020, has 19 decks.  (Norwegian Cruise Line)

Norwegian Cruise Line said the passenger’s loved ones on board were “being attended to and supported during this very challenging situation.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones during this difficult time,” the spokesperson added. 

The Norwegian Epic, which was built in 2010 and refurbished in 2020, has 19 decks. It can accommodate 4,070 passengers with double occupancy of its cabins and has 1,724 crew members. 

It was not immediately clear what caused the man to go overboard. The man has not been identified.

In 2024, agricultural prices in the European Union saw a modest decline, falling by 2% compared to 2023.

This price decline followed sharp increases in 2021 and 2022 that occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather conditions and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Despite a surge in olive oil prices in 2024, the prices of cereals dropped by 15%, eggs by 8%, and vegetables and horticultural products declined by 2%.

The price of pigs and poultry also shrank by 7% and 8%, respectively.

According to Eurostat figures, milk prices decreased in 16 EU countries in 2024.

The sharpest decline was recorded in Finland with a 12% drop in prices, followed by Portugal with 10% and Spain with 8%.

By contrast, the sharpest increase was in Ireland with a 15% rise in prices, followed by Lithuania with 11% and Latvia with 10%.

In terms of production, the cost of seeds and veterinary services rose by 3%.  

However, prices for fertilisers and soil improvers plummeted by 18%, food for animals by 11%, and plant protection products and pesticides by 2%. 

Commission measures between farmers and buyers

After a year in which farmers have protested regularly, the EU Commission has presented an initiative to ensure they receive fair compensation and are no longer forced to sell products below production costs.

The proposed measures include mandatory written contracts that require buyers to clearly outline key terms such as price, quantity, and delivery timelines, taking into account market conditions and cost fluctuations.

The package also introduces a regulation to enhance enforcement of the Unfair Trading Practices (UTPs) Directive, which was adopted five years ago but remains largely unimplemented.

Video editor • Mert Can Yilmaz

The woman accusing Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting her when she was 13 can proceed anonymously (“at least for now”) in her lawsuit against the rappers, a judge ruled Thursday.

New York Judge Analisa Torres also condemned the legal team representing Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) for the “relentless filing of combative motions containing inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks [on accuser’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee],” according to a court order obtained by Variety. “Since Carter’s attorney first appeared in this case seventeen days ago, he has submitted a litany of letters and motions attempting to impugn the character of Plaintiff’s lawyer [Buzbee].”

Judge Torres continues, calling the complaints “inappropriate, a waste of judicial resources, and a tactic unlikely to benefit his client [Jay-Z].”

Jane Doe, who filed her original lawsuit against Combs in October, and re-filed it with Carter’s name in early December, will remain anonymous at this early stage of the litigation. She could still be required by the court to reveal her identity.

Alex Spiro, a lawyer for Carter, recently asked the judge to dismiss the entertainer from the woman’s lawsuit. He cited a report from NBC News that revealed the accuser had admitted to some “inconsistencies and outright impossibilities” in her allegations. His team has also issued public statements referring to Buzbee as a “1-800 lawyer” who is “in the pursuit of money and fame.”

Judge Torres denied Carter’s request to dismiss the case. Representatives for Carter did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.

In the last few weeks, Buzbee issued his own lawsuit against Roc Nation, the entertainment company owned by Carter, claiming they are using “shadowy operatives” to bribe his former clients into filing “frivolous” complaints against him. Carter has also sued Buzbee for defamation.

Jane Doe, who alleges she was 13 when Combs and Carter raped her in 2000, says she encountered the pair at an afterparty for the MTV Music Video Awards.

Carter responded to the allegation almost immediately. “You have made a terrible error in judgment thinking that all ‘celebrities’ are the same,” Carter wrote in a letter addressing Buzbee. “I’m not from your moral world. I’m a young man who made it out of the project of Brooklyn. We don’t play these types of games. We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children, you seem to exploit people for personal gain. Only your network of conspiracy theorists, fake physics, will believe the idiotic claims you have levied against me that, if not for the seriousness surrounding harm to kids, would be laughable.”

Combs has been held in a Brooklyn jail since September. He will remain there until his trial is scheduled to begin in May.