Mystery surrounds demise of Carnival Cruise ship passenger as FBI investigates
Carnival Cruise Line said it was cooperating with investigators and is supporting the passenger’s family after the incident on board the Horizon vessel in Miami
A passenger has died on board the Carnival Horizon cruise ship in Miami prompting an FBI investigation. Mystery surrounds the circumstances of the incident, with further details yet to be released by the authoriries.
Carnival Cruise Line said it was cooperating with investigators and is supporting the passenger’s family, The Sun reports. In a statement, the company said: “Since this is an ongoing matter under the jurisdiction of law enforcement, all media inquiries need to be directed to the FBI’s Miami public affairs office.”
The ship docked at PortMiami on Saturday as scheduled. However, no further details have yet been released about the passenger or the manner of their death. Florida news agencies understand the incident is being treated as a homicide but such reports remain unconfirmed.
Federal authorities boarded the Vista Class ship when it returned to PortMiami on Saturday, November 8, the cruise line confirmed. “Our focus is on supporting the family of our guest and cooperating with the FBI,” Carnival Cruise Line said to CBS News.
An FBI spokesperson added, “I can confirm that the FBI has responded to the scene. Because this is an ongoing matter, no further information is available at this time.”
The guest reportedly passed away on the Carnival Horizon during the ship’s 6-night Western Caribbean cruise, although the exact date is unclear. The vessel called at Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.
Some have speculated that it happened on the last day of the sailing, when guests recalled hearing the secret medical emergency code word for an incident on Deck 8, reports Cruise.Blog.
Carnival Horizon measures 133,500 gross tons and is based out of Miami, Florida. She alternates between 6- and 8-night Caribbean cruises and can accommodate over 4,000 guests at maximum capacity.
There was no delay to the following 8-night sailing, which departed on November 8. It’s due to visit the ABC Islands in the Southern Caribbean, returning to Florida on November 16.
The news comes after a grandmother tragically died alone on a remote island in a separate incident. after she was left behind by the cruise ship she was travelling on. Suzanne Rees, 80, had embarked on a 60-night Coral Expeditions cruise, ready to explore some of Australia’s most stunning locations.
Last Saturday, passengers of the Coral Adventurer disembarked at Lizard Island, approximately 240km from Cairns, Queensland.
The nearly deserted island, known for its coral reefs and beautiful beaches, attracts divers from around the world.
That day, Suzanne, travelling alone, joined other members of the cruise group for an organised hike along the Cook’s Look trail – the highest peak on the island. Tragically, she never returned to the ship.
After falling ill, Suzanne was reportedly asked to descend the mountain alone, and while she lay unwell, the cruise ship sailed off to its next destination.
The missing holidaymaker’s disappearance was reported shortly before midnight, with emergency services scouring both land and sea throughout the night. The next day, Suzanne’s body was recovered from a mountain, some 50m off the walking trail.
