MIAMI, FL — The U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday suspended its search for a missing Royal Caribbean crew member who has been missing since Christmas Day. Twenty-year-old Arron Hough of the United Kingdom went overboard from the cruise ship Harmony on Christmas Day.

“We’ve been in contact with members of Mr. Hough’s family throughout our search efforts and know this is a very difficult and painful time for them,” said Cmdr. Christopher Douglas, Coast Guard Sector San Juan chief of response. “Suspending a search is one of the most difficult decisions we have to make as first responders and it is never made lightly.”

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The search for Hough was focused on an area 267 miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, according to the Coast Guard.

Officials said rescue crews covered 3,707 square miles and searched for about 83 hours before the effort was suspended at 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

The search team included Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules airplanes, Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplanes and the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Resolute from St. Petersburg.

“Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector San Juan, Puerto Rico received a notification from the cruise ship Tuesday at approximately 1:45 p.m., stating a crew member had reportedly went overboard,” officials explained.

Photo by Paul Scicchitano