A trip aboard a cruise ship that was intended to celebrate a wedding anniversary instead turned into a horrible nightmare for one family. Per The New York Post, Thomas Gigler, 56, allegedly jumped overboard from the Carnival Panorama on Saturday, September 19. A father of three from Redlands, California, Gigler was reportedly on the trip in honor of his wedding anniversary with his wife, Michelle, 48.
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Per the outlet, "...Gigler is believed to have gone off the 11th deck as the ship traveled from Mexico toward Long Beach." Family members grew concerned and "raised the alarm." Actually, he is sadly believed to have died.
The Cruise Line Confirmed Gigler's Tragic Jump From the Ship
According to a company rep, "Carnival Cruise Line confirmed Saturday that a male guest aboard Carnival Panorama jumped overboard while the ship was sailing from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Long Beach, California. When notified of a missing guest, the ship's team initiated search and investigation procedures, including reviewing CCTV footage and notifying both the US and Mexico Coast Guards."
A search for Thomas Gigler was undertaken by several agencies. They included the Coast Guards of Mexico and the United States, plus commercial ships and the Mexican Navy.
Passengers Were Allegedly Instructed To Return to Their Rooms
Someone who claimed to have been aboard the Carnival Panorama at the time spoke of the disturbing development. He said that during this incident, passengers were asked to go to their rooms while a search was conducted for Thomas Gigler. A man named Tommy McGraw shared that information with The Independent.
Nevertheless, confidentiality and privacy were evidently not breached. People were only informed that "a family had reported a loved one missing," per the outlet.
Questions Arose About Why He Allegedly Did It
Were marital issues the cause of Thomas Gigler's alleged jump from the ship? His sister, Wendy Dowden, reportedly doubted that explanation. In fact, she shared with The Daily Mail that he and wife Michelle "were getting along quite well." She offered another theory about why he allegedly did something so drastic and shocking. "We think something must have happened in his head. He wasn't in his right mind to have done this," Dowden speculated.
Gigler allegedly did not have previously known problems with mental illness, per the Post.
