Lamb Of God have issued a statement after their inaugural Headbangers Boat cruise festival took a turn for the worse this past week, as an attendee fell overboard.
The Headbangers Boat cruise festival took place between October 31 and November 4 and saw Lamb Of God, Mastodon, Hatebreed, Gwar, Testament and more play to attendees as they sailed from Miami to the Bahamas and back on the Norwegian Peal cruise ship.
On November 3, a 41-year-old male attendee fell overboard, initiating a search and rescue mission that lasted nine hours before being called off by the cruise’s captain, per a report from Cruise Hive. The man was not found, and the cruise returned to Miami.
Following the incident, Lamb Of God issued a now-deleted statement that read: “On the early morning of Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, Norwegian Pearl was notified that a 41-year-old male guest went overboard while the ship was sailing near the Bahamas on its way to Miami. The authorities have been notified and the United States Coast Guard search and rescue operation is underway. The investigation is ongoing, and we will share updates as appropriate. Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones during this difficult time.”
Yesterday (November 8), the band released a follow-up statement on Instagram: “It was shocking that a joyous occasion could so quickly turn tragic. While we don’t know all of the specifics, we know every single person on that boat is part of our family, and we witnessed everyone onboard experience grief at the loss of one of our own. We couldn’t have been more proud of how the metal community on board rallied together to support each other and celebrate heavy metal in the only way we know how. This music community truly is just that – a community.”
While Lamb Of God has not confirmed if the man who fell overboard has been declared dead, a report from Metal Injection suggests that he has passed. PEOPLE Magazine reports that investigations into the incident are ongoing. The passenger’s identity has yet to be revealed to the public.