Thomas Gigler, 56, missing after jumping overboard on Carnival Panorama

Thomas Gigler, a computer programmer with Esri in Redlands, California, and his wife Michelle, 48, were sailing from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to Long Beach, California, when the incident occurred. The ship’s crew first received a missing‑person report at around 10:30 a.m. After Michelle could not locate her husband.

According to a statement from Carnival Cruise Line, the crew reviewed CCTV footage and confirmed that Gigler had left the vessel from the 11th deck. The company subsequently notified both U.S. And Mexican coast guards, and fixed‑wing aircraft were deployed by the U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in Alameda. The Mexican Navy and nearby commercial vessels also joined the effort, but Gigler has not yet been located.

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Family members have struggled to reconcile the event with Gigler’s character. Wendy Dowden, his sister, has repeatedly denied that the couple were experiencing marital problems, describing them as “getting along quite well.” She has said that Gigler had no known history of mental illness and believes something “must have happened in his head.” These statements echo those made by other family members who have expressed disbelief at the suddenness of the disappearance.

Passengers aboard the 4,000‑guest ship also played a role in the unfolding drama. Misty Hernandez, a first‑time cruiser, posted on Facebook that a memorial wall had been erected, with handwritten messages and prayers for Gigler’s family. Another passenger, Tommy McGraw, 55, described the lockdown and cabin‑by‑cabin checks that followed the missing‑person report. McGraw noted that the crew did not broadcast the identity of the missing guest during the sweep, only that a family had reported a loved one absent.

The incident has sparked broader discussions about safety measures on cruise liners. Dr. Carole Lieberman, a forensic psychiatrist, has pointed out that the environment of a cruise ship can create a sense of isolation, potentially lowering the threshold for dangerous actions.

While the search continues, the Carnival Panorama returned to Long Beach on Sunday, 20 September, as scheduled. The ship’s itinerary had departed Long Beach on 13 September and included a seven‑night cruise along the Baja California peninsula, with Puerto Vallarta as a stop on 17 September. The final leg, during which Gigler disappeared, was the return journey to the United States.

For the family, the tragedy is compounded by the fact that the couple’s 15th wedding anniversary was four days away. The couple had planned the cruise as a celebration of their long‑term partnership, a detail highlighted by several outlets. The loss has left the surviving family members grappling with unanswered questions about what led to Gigler’s sudden departure from the ship.

Passengers and crew have shown solidarity by creating a makeshift memorial on the ship, a gesture that has been documented by several social‑media posts. The memorial, consisting of toy ducks, handwritten notes, and prayers, has become a focal point for those who were on board when the incident unfolded.

As the search continues, authorities have not released any further information about the whereabouts of Gigler. The U.S. Coast Guard and Mexican authorities have maintained that the search remains active, but no new developments have been announced as of the present time.

What to Watch Next

• Official updates from the U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center
• Statements from Carnival Cruise Line regarding safety protocols and support for the family
• Further coverage from local news outlets in Redlands and Long Beach