Surveillance Footage Reportedly Shows Cruise Passenger Falling Overboard

A missing New Jersey woman thought to have fallen overboard Sunday from a Norwegian Cruise Line ship was caught by ship surveillance cameras alone in her room when the incident happened, the cruise line said in a statement released Wednesday.

The footage reportedly shows Mindy Jordan, a 46-year-old nurse, falling from her balcony two hours after boarding the ship in New York with her boyfriend, Jorge Caputo.

The cruise line said Jordan and Caputo had dined that evening with friends before returing to their rooms at about 7:30 p.m. Minutes later, Caputo left Jordan alone to visit with the friends next door, the company said.

Surveillance footage from the exterior of the ship shows Jordan falling overboard into the water about 15 minutes later, according to Norwegian Cruise Line, and an emergency call was made from the friends' room.

The cruise line said the initial indication was that Jordan fell as she tried to reach from one balcony to another on a windy night. The Coast Guard had given up its search Tuesday for her in the Atlantic Ocean off the New Jersey coast.

Jordan's family fears, though, that her fall was not only tragic but also criminal, and the FBI is investigating.

Jim Margolin, a spokesman for the FBI's New York office, said agents were in Bermuda on Wednesday to interview witnesses aboard The Norwegian Dawn as the cruise ship arrived there.

"Among the things we're going to try to determine is whether a crime occurred," Margolin said, adding that it was not clear how long it might take to determine that. He also said that if no one was charged in the matter, the agency might not make its findings public.

Jordan's family has been asking authorities for a full investigation — rather than simply relying on the early word from Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line.

"Our interest is to understand what happened," said Jordan's brother, Steve Lynn, who traveled from his home in Kentucky to be with his and Jordan's mother, Louise Horton, in her New Jersey home.

Norwegian Cruise Line has offered to make arrangements for Jordan's family to join the ship in Bermuda on Thursday and view the surveillance footage.

Lynn said the FBI also interviewed his mother Tuesday night and took some possible evidence — including photos of bruises on his sister.

Family members have expressed suspicion of Caputo, who they say was abusive.

Caputo remained on the cruise ship and was not available for comment. He has not been charged with any crime.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.