carnival cruise ship passenger death

FBI investigating 'suspicious death' of woman on Carnival cruise ship

The unidentified female was pronounced dead on the ship of unknown causes.

The FBI is investigating a "suspicious death" of a female passenger aboard a Carnival cruise ship while it was en route to the Bahamas .

The incident occurred on Carnival's Sunshine during its Feb. 27 voyage from the United States to Nassau, Bahamas, when medical staff and other crew members aboard the ship were made aware of an unresponsive passenger and life-saving measures were immediately attempted, according to a statement from the FBI's field office in Columbia, South Carolina.

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Despite the crew's best efforts, the unidentified female passenger was pronounced dead on the ship of currently unknown causes, though Carnival released a subsequent statement indicating that they believe the passenger died of natural causes.

"While we continue to cooperate with authorities, all indications pertaining to the death of a guest on board Carnival Sunshine suggest that it was a natural death due to a medical condition," Carnival said in the statement released on Tuesday. "We will defer to the FBI on any specific details which may possibly be released at a later date as we fully respect the investigative process, but our initial emergency medical response was appropriate and it appears that this was indeed a medical situation that sadly resulted in the death of a guest."

This incident remains under investigation by the FBI.

"The FBI investigates certain crimes on the high seas, as well as suspicious deaths of U.S. persons," the FBI said. "As such, FBI Evidence Response Team (ERT) members responded to process the passenger's room once the ship returned to the Charleston port on March 4."

MORE: 9-year-old boy missing after falling off pontoon boat, being hit by propeller

The "suspicious death" was isolated, according to the FBI, and there was no threat to any other passengers before or after the passenger was found deceased.

Related Topics

Carnival says 'all indications' are a medical issue is to blame in the death of passenger

Carnival Cruise Line said Tuesday that "all indications" are a passenger died of a medical condition and that it continues to cooperate with authorities.

The passenger died Feb. 27 on a trip on the Carnival Sunshine to Nassau, Bahamas, the FBI said in a statement Sunday .

It said it was investigating the suspicious death of a female passenger who was unresponsive and was subsequently declared dead on the ship.

FBI spokesperson Kevin Wheeler said Tuesday that the agency's initial statement remains and that it had no other comment.

Carnival said in a statement Tuesday: "While we continue to cooperate with authorities, all indications pertaining to the death of a guest on board Carnival Sunshine suggest that it was a natural death due to a medical condition.

"We will defer to the FBI on any specific details which may possibly be released at a later date as we fully respect the investigative process, but our initial emergency medical response was appropriate and it appears that this was indeed a medical situation that sadly resulted in the death of a guest."

The Sunshine, which carries up to 3,002 passengers and 1,040 crew members, returned to Charleston, South Carolina, on Saturday, the cruise line said.

The FBI said Sunday that investigators processed the woman’s room.

Carnival has said Bahamian officials would conduct an autopsy. The woman's body was taken off the ship at Nassau, and her husband also got off, it said.

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.

Watch CBS News

FBI investigating "suspicious" death of a woman on a Carnival cruise ship

By Gina Martinez

Updated on: March 6, 2023 / 7:24 PM EST / CBS News

The FBI is investigating the "suspicious" death of a woman aboard a Carnival cruise ship traveling from Charleston, South Carolina, to Nassau, Bahamas, last month.

On Feb. 27, Carnival's Sunshine crew members and medical staff responded to an unresponsive female passenger, the FBI Columbia field office said in a news release. Despite their best efforts, the woman was pronounced dead on the ship, the release said. 

The incident was isolated and posed no threats to other passengers, according to the FBI.

When the ship returned to Charleston on March 4, FBI officials searched the dead passenger's room for evidence, according to the news release.  

The FBI said it investigates suspicious deaths of U.S. citizens as well as "certain crimes on the high seas." Officials have not disclosed the identity of the passenger or the cause of death and said the incident remains under investigation. 

Carnival said they are "fully cooperating" with the investigation and that the incident is being handled by authorities in the Bahamas and in Charleston. 

"Both the deceased and her husband were debarked in Nassau and Bahamian authorities have already investigated the circumstances and are conducting an autopsy," the cruise line said in a statement to CBS News. 

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FBI investigating suspicious death of passenger onboard Carnival cruise ship

Female passenger was found unresponsive during the ship’s 27 february cruise to nassau, bahamas, article bookmarked.

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The FBI is investigating the suspicious death of a female passenger onboard the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship, the agency announced.

The passenger was found unresponsive during the ship’s 27 February cruise to Nassau , Bahamas , according to the FBI field office in Columbia, South Carolina.

Despite medical staff and crew members performing life-saving measures, the woman was pronounced dead on the ship.

Both the deceased passenger and her husband were taken off the ship in the Bahamas, where an autopsy will take place.

“The FBI joined Carnival Sunshine upon its return to Charleston on Saturday to conduct an investigation into the death of a guest. Both the deceased and her husband were debarked in Nassau and Bahamian authorities have already investigated the circumstances and are conducting an autopsy. We are fully cooperating,” Carnival Cruise Line spokesperson Matt Lupoli told The Independent in a statement.

“This is a matter for authorities in The Bahamas and Charleston and we have no further comments.”

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“We are fully cooperating. This is a matter for authorities in the Bahamas and Charleston and we have no further comments.”

Members of the FBI Evidence Response Team conducted a search of the passenger’s room when the ship returned to its home port of Charleston, South Carolina, on 4 March.

The FBI investigates suspicious deaths of US nationals as well as “certain crimes on the high seas.” The death remains under investigation.

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FBI investigating "suspicious" death of woman on Carnival cruise ship

The FBI is investigating the "suspicious" death of a woman aboard a Carnival cruise ship traveling from Charleston, South Carolina, to Nassau, Bahamas, last month.

On Feb. 27, Carnival's Sunshine crew members and medical staff responded to an unresponsive female passenger, the FBI Columbia field office said in a news release. Despite their best efforts, the woman was pronounced dead on the ship, the release said.

The incident was isolated and posed no threats to other passengers, according to the FBI.

When the ship returned to Charleston on March 4, FBI officials searched the dead passenger's room for evidence, according to the news release.

The FBI said it investigates suspicious deaths of U.S. citizens as well as "certain crimes on the high seas." Officials have not disclosed the identity of the passenger or the cause of death and said the incident remains under investigation.

Carnival said they are "fully cooperating" with the investigation and that the incident is being handled by authorities in the Bahamas and in Charleston.

"Both the deceased and her husband were debarked in Nassau and Bahamian authorities have already investigated the circumstances and are conducting an autopsy," the cruise line said in a statement to CBS News.

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FBI investigating 'suspicious death' aboard Carnival Sunshine

by Joseph Erickson

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Investigators with the FBI Columbia field office responded to Charleston on Saturday to investigate the suspicious death of a passenger aboard a cruise ship, a spokesperson with the field office confirmed to ABC News 4 Monday morning.

Officials say the female passenger was found unresponsive on the Carnival Sunshine during its Feb. 27 voyage to Nassau, Bahamas. Medical staff responded and attempted to save the woman, but she was pronounced dead on the ship.

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The cruise ship returned to Charleston on Saturday. Members of the FBI's Evidence Response Team (ERT) responded to process the passenger’s room.

Officials say the passenger's death was an isolated incident and that there was no other threat to any other passengers. As of Monday, no arrests have been made.

A spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line says the company is cooperating fully with authorities' investigations.

The FBI joined Carnival Sunshine upon its return to Charleston on Saturday to conduct an investigation into the death of a guest. Both the deceased and her husband were debarked in Nassau and Bahamian authorities have already investigated the circumstances and are conducting an autopsy. We are fully cooperating. This is a matter for authorities in The Bahamas and Charleston and we have no further comments.

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Cruise passenger who jumped to death from ship id’d as florida resident who argued with dad before leap.

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The  20-year-old passenger who jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise  last week after an argument with his dad has been identified as a former high school football player and avid hunter living in Florida.

Levion Parker, of North Port, Florida, has been missing since he jumped overboard April 4 in front of his brother and father on the cruise to Cuba and the Bahamas’ Grand Inagua Island, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.

The release of his identity comes shortly after the  Coast Guard called off its search  for Parker. 

Social media posts show Parker often went on hunting and fishing trips. He also played football for North Port High School before he graduated in 2022, according to the Daily Mail .

Parker jumped off the 18-story Liberty of the Seas after reportedly getting into an argument with his father.

Parker’s father was “fussing at him for being drunk,”  fellow passenger Bryan Sims told The Post .

“When we got to them, he said to his dad, ‘I’ll fix this right now.’ And he jumped out the window in front of us all,” Sims said.

“He was pretty drunk,” Sims added.

Sims hung out with Parker and his brother, Seth, 18, in the hot tub in the early hours of April before going their separate ways around 4 a.m. 

After Sims had used the restroom and dried off, he headed toward the elevators.

On his way there, he noticed the two brothers and their dad, Francel Parker, coming out of the sliding doors near the elevators. 

“As we were walking from the hot tub back to the elevators, his dad and brother were walking towards us. His dad was fussing at him for being drunk, I guess,” Sims said of the moment before Parker jumped.  

Royal Caribbean said it “immediately” launched search boats to look for him with help from the US Coast Guard.

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Parker’s father owns an air conditioning company and the family was cruising on the boat as guests of Tropic Supply, a Florida-based air conditioning wholesale company.

Tropic Supply had invited dozens of contractors to mark the company’s 50th anniversary, according to Daily Mail.

The Post has reached out to the family for comment. 

Nearly 400 people have gone overboard on major cruise lines between 2000 and 2020,  according to the Washington Post . 

As many cases are often deadly, many cruise lines have installed surveillance cameras and employed additional safety measures to help reduce risk. 

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.

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Carnival Legend cruise ship passenger dies in onboard 'incident'

Carnival legend is currently sailing on an 8-day christmas-themed itinerary.

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A passenger has died this week on board the Carnival Legend cruise ship.  

Carnival Cruise Line, in a statement to FOX Business, said it was "sad to share that we had an incident Monday night." 

"While there was a man overboard call, there was not an overboard incident. We are supporting the guest’s family and others who witnessed the situation," a spokesman said. 

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The Carnival Legend is seen docked in Lisbon, Portugal, on June 18, 2013. (Mario Proenca/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

"With respect for the privacy of all involved, we will not say any more, but ask that you keep the family in your thoughts and prayers," the spokesman added. 

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A local ferry floats past the Carnival Legend cruise ship in Sydney, Australia on March 8, 2017. (Reuters/David Gray)

A source on board the ship told the website Crew Center that the man fell off a balcony and hit a lifeboat shortly after midnight. 

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Carnival Cruise Line did not respond to FOX Business when asked to comment on that report. 

The ship left Baltimore on Sunday for an eight-day Christmas-themed journey with two stops in the Bahamas and one in Turks and Caicos. 

1 dead, several injured in Honolulu after shuttle bus crashes outside cruise terminal

One person has died and multiple people were injured in a shuttle bus crash in Honolulu , Hawaii on Friday.

"Nine Carnival Miracle guests were hit by a shuttle bus in the transportation area outside the Honolulu cruise terminal on Friday morning," Matt Lupoli, senior manager of the Carnival Cruise Line , told USA TODAY. "Sadly, one guest has died from her injuries. She was traveling with her husband, who was also injured and is expected to recover."

The shuttle bus crashed into pedestrians and two concrete barriers at the terminal. The shuttle bus driver mistakenly stepped on the gas pedal instead of the break when they attempted to stop the bus from moving, Hawaii News Now reported.

All of the victims were taken to local hospitals and are being treated for their injuries. The victims are in different conditions ranging from serious to stable, the news outlet said.

"Members of the Carnival Care Team are assisting the guests. Our thoughts are with the guests affected and their loved ones," Lupoli said.

USA TODAY has reached out to the  Honolulu Police Department and the Honolulu Emergency Medical Services for comment.

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Eyewitnesses share their experience after the Honolulu shuttle bus crash, reports state

Eyewitness told KITV Island News that the relaxing Friday morning turned deadly after the shuttle bus crash.

"We heard the tire of a vehicle screeching," Lillian Le, a visitor from Denver told the broadcast station. "We looked and it was a bus running over people and hit against a wall."

An employee at the complex said he has never experienced this before.

"We saw the first responders coming, it was substantial, probably about 10 a.m., four or five ambulances, two fire trucks, ten cop cars, looked pretty bad - it's really distressing," Mark Elwell, an employee at the complex wher the accident occurred. "I've worked here 21 years, I've never seen anything to this magnitude, really sad to see, obviously people were hurt pretty bad to be taken away by ambulance."

Jessica Lani Rich, a visitor at the Aloha Society of Hawaii told KITV Island News that the woman who died was celebrating her 46th wedding anniversary with her husband.

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at  [email protected] . Follow her on  Instagram ,  Threads  and  X @forbesfineest.

Carnival Cruise Line sets its sights on new Bahamas port of call

Carnival to open grand bahama celebration key in summer of 2025.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Carnival Cruise Line has released another round of updates on what travelers can expect when its new private destination Grand Bahama Celebration Key opens.

Debuting in summer 2025, the port of call will welcome ships from Florida ports Port Canaveral, PortMiami, Tampa and Jacksonville, as well as six other U.S. ports.

The 369-acre site less than 20 miles east of Freeport will be the first dedicated to Carnival Cruise Line, although Carnival ships have used sister line destinations Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay for years.

The largest port construction project in the line’s history will be carved into five segments the company calls portals. Carnival released details about the third one tied to retail, an artisan village called Lokono Cove. (“Lokono” means “the people” in the native Lucayan language.)

The name was the winning selection from Grand Bahamas resident Deidre Rahming, who was on hand in Miami Beach with an entourage from the Bahamian government on Tuesday at the Seatrade Cruise Global conference.

She received a check for $5,000 from Carnival and a future day pass for the resort, which won’t normally be open to visitors from the island. The line says at least 300 jobs will be generated for locals serving the cruise guests.

Lokono Cove will have kiosks and stores alongside “an authentic Bahamian artisan market” showcasing local craftsmanship, according to Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy. Beyond the items for sale, the space will have music and murals to enhance the space, and local food.

“Lokono Cove will be a treasure trove — a place for our guests to immerse themselves in the spirit of the Bahamas and find locally inspired keepsakes, symbols of paradise they can share with loved ones or cherish for themselves for years to come,” Duffy said. “Honoring the beauty and culture of the Bahamas is integral to our plans for Celebration Key, and that will be on display throughout Lokono Cove.”

The space also will be the gateway for visitors to explore Grand Bahama.

It’s the third name drop by Carnival following the reveal of welcome area Paradise Plaza and adult-friendly area Calypso Lagoon. The final two space names and details, which will be a family-friendly area and an adults-only private area, will be revealed later.

The site will also have a south-facing, mile-long beachfront expanse and a massive freshwater inland lagoon that the line says is the largest in the Bahamas and Caribbean.

Paradise Plaza features a rainbow-colored walkway through a sunshine entranceway with a 10-story “Suncastle” as a centerpiece. The welcome area is the place to book the day’s activities, including cabanas, water sports and shore excursions. The area will also feature a Bahamian-themed fountain and ice cream shop.

Calypso Cove is the name of an adult-friendly area coming to Carnival’s Celebration Key on Grand Bahama island when it opens in summer 2026.

Calypso Lagoon, just to the west, is home to the sport court, the freshwater lagoon and lounging options galore. It’s home to a bar with 50 swings that let visitors dip their feet into the water, and just one of many bars serving the space and two full-service restaurants and other casual snack shacks. The adults-only area of the portal will feature a swim-up bar with a DJ, food trucks and more lounging options.

Future expansion will build beyond the five portals, including the construction of a water park.

The port of call will open with one dock capable of handling Carnival’s largest ships, the 6,000-passenger Excel class.

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Pregnant Disney Cruise Passenger Airlifted Off Ship by U.S. Coast Guard: See Video

The 'Disney Fantasy' was 180 miles out at sea when Coast Guard members responded to a medical emergency involving the 35-year-old patient

Natalia Senanayake is an Editorial Assistant, Lifestyle at PEOPLE. She covers all things travel and home, from celebrities' luxury mansions to breaking travel news.

• A video shared by the U.S. Coast Guard on April 16 shows a passenger aboard the Disney Fantasy being airlifted into a helicopter 
• In the clip, the U.S. Coast Guard successfully performs a medevac for the pregnant patient
• The Disney Cruise Line ship was located 180 miles from land when the Coast Guard responded to the call

A pregnant passenger aboard the Disney Fantasy was airlifted from the ship after experiencing health complications on April 15. 

The Disney Cruise Line vessel was 180 miles northwest of Puerto Rico in the Atlantic Ocean when the passenger “required a higher level of medical care ashore,” according to an April 16 press release from the U.S. Coast Guard. 

A video of the incident shows the Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter aircrew executing a medevac in order to transport the patient safely to land by helicopter. 

In the harrowing clip, an aircrew member gets lowered by rope onto the ship and at least seven crew members are seen carrying the woman on a stretcher. Per the release, the aircrew’s rescue swimmer then “prepared a rescue basket and litter to safely hoist the patient and cruise ship doctor aboard the aircraft.”

United States Coast Guard

The patient was met by local emergency medical responders at the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She was then transported to the local Centro Medico Hospital.

According to the release, Coast Guard members first got the call that there was a medical emergency aboard the ship on the morning of Monday, April 15. 

“Watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a communication from the Disney Fantasy Monday morning requesting medevac assistance as the cruise ship was transiting 260 nautical miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico,” according to the release. 

Lt. Cmdr. Todd Stephens stated in the release: “Our crew was able to quickly, safely, and efficiently execute a long-range MEDEVAC for the patient to receive the higher level of care she required. This case demonstrates the value of good crew resource management and the capabilities of our Jayhawk helicopter.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Echoing a similar sentiment, Ensign Michael Riccio, Coast Guard Sector San Juan operations unit leader for the case, said, “The competency displayed by the Disney Fantasy crew and the Coast Guard personnel and units involved made all the difference.”

Disney Cruise Line did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

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