Coast Guard search for cruise passenger

BAY MINETTE, Ala. - UPDATE: The Coast Guard continues its search for a 50-year-old woman who reportedly went overboard from a cruise ship approximately 75 miles south southwest of Pensacola, Fla., late Monday.

Missing is Michelle Vilborg, 50, of Bay Minette, Ala.

At approximately 11:00 p.m. Monday, June 15, 2009, Coast Guard units heard an emergency person-in-the-water broadcast on VHF channel 16 and upon confirmation with the Carnival cruise ship Holiday immediately launched rescue crews.

Coast Guard crews have searched approximately 3,215 square miles since Monday, an area larger than Delaware.

Assets currently searching:

·Coast Guard Cutter Cobia, homeported in Mobile, Ala.

·A Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry rescue plane from Aviation Training Center, Mobile, Ala.

An Urgent Marine Information Broadcast (UMIB) was also issued to mariners as a caution in the area.

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The search continues for a Bay Minette woman. Since Monday night, Coast Guard crews have been looking for Michelle Vilborg. She's a passenger on the Carnival Holiday cruise ship which left Mobile Monday.

Erik Vilborg said, "I'm kind of hoping they find her. Maybe she's on the ship somewhere." Vilborg was staying close to the phone waiting to hear any word on his mother Michelle's rescue. Michelle's 50th birthday is this weekend and she and her husband decided to take the Carnival Holiday Cruise for a quick get away. Erik added, "He's broke up pretty bad and can't explain what's going through his head. I'm having trouble swallowing it."

The Coast Guard launched a water and air search late Monday night after getting a call from the cruise ship. Lt. JG Evelyn Bruno said, "A crew member heard a splash from there. They did a muster and did a head count on crew members and passengers and confirmed that one person had gone overboard. A life ring was tossed with a strobe the moment a crew member heard a splash."

Erik added, "It's hard to think of your mother being out in the water. I want to think she's on the ship because they haven't found her. You just think of the good things that could happen."

Erik said his mother is a good swimmer. He said cruise officials are looking for witnesses and questioning folks on the ship. Erik said Michelle and her husband have been happily married for 30 years. He also said she's a loving mother and grandmother. Now, he's just trying to stay positive and strong for the family who desperately wants her home safely. He added, "It's good, the prayers and looking to God and hoping for the best."

Several Coast Guard crews are continuing their search.