Sea search goes on for cruise ship entertainer

MISSING cruise ship entertainer Arron Hough was tipped for stardom as a teen.

Searches are today continuing for the 20-year-old dancer who is feared to have gone overboard into the Atlantic Ocean, on Christmas Day.

The alarm was raised after Arron, who had been performing in a production of Grease onboard the Harmony of the Seas, failed to report in for work.

The vessel, operated by Royal Caribbean, was 267 miles northwest of Puerto Rico, at the time.

The United States Coast Guard has been searching for Arron, who was last spotted on a deck area of the ship at 4am.

And today as his loved ones wait for news we can reveal how Arron’s dancing talent was spotted while he was a teen, and how he was living his dreams onboard the cruiseliner.

At the age of just 15, Arron, from Sunderland, wowed judges when he performed a complex dance routine to take the top prize in the city’s answer to Britain’s Got Talent, just three years after he began dancing.

In the 2014 final of the Genfactor, an annual competition run by housing association Gentoo, he performed in front of a crowd of 800 at the Sunderland Empire, along with 13 other finalists.

After winning the top prize, Arron who was then a pupil at Sandhill View School, said: “I am so excited and happy. I didn’t expect to win and feel really overwhelmed.

“It was a great experience and I really enjoyed performing.”

Arron went on to train at the The Urdang Academy, an independent performing arts academy in London.

The academy tweeted: “We are all praying for Arron Hough and his family. Please keep up your hope and faith that he is found safe and sound as soon as possible.”

He signed to talent agency Russell Smith Associates which announced he had landed the role in Grease The Musical, in July.

And Arron later set sail in October.

Arron regularly displayed his excitement to be performing onboard the Harmony of the Seas on social media.

In the days before his disappearance he tweeted pictures and videos of his fellow entertainers.

And on Facebook he posted many photos of views from the ship, with references to life at sea such as; ‘Ride life’s waves.’

The United States Coast Guard said it had deployed an airplane crew and the Coast Guard Cutter Resolute boat, in the search.

A spokeswoman for Royal Caribbean said: “On Tuesday a member of the entertainment team onboard Harmony of the Seas en route to Philipsburg, St. Maarten, did not report to work as scheduled.

“We are saddened to report that after a review of the ship’s closedcircuit camera footage, he was observed entering an area on Deck 5 at around 4am. and was not seen again. Local authorities were notified and a ship-wide search for the crew member was conducted.

“Our Care Team is providing support to the family and friends of our colleague, and our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time. Harmony of the Seas is currently sailing on a seven night itinerary that departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday, December 23, with port calls to Philipsburg, St. Maarten; San Juan, Puerto Rico and Labadee, Haiti.”

Arron’s agency has also tweeted a statement.

It said: “We are both shocked and saddened about the news concerning our Arron Hough. Our thoughts are with all of his friends and family and we hope for him to be found very soon.”

The Harmony of the Seas cost one billion US dollars (£695 million), can carry 6,780 guests and 2,100 crew, and took more than two-anda-half years to construct.