An investigation is underway after a woman fell to her death from a balcony aboard a cruise ship off the coast of California.
Incident Details
The tragedy occurred on the Carnival Firenze, an Italian-themed party boat operated by Carnival Corporation. The vessel, measuring roughly 1,000 feet, had departed from Long Beach and was en route to Ensenada, Mexico, via Catalina Island.
Company spokeswoman Julie Leonardi confirmed in a statement that the victim fell from her stateroom balcony on the deck below. However, she did not disclose the woman's identity or the circumstances leading up to the incident, which took place on Monday.
“The female guest was traveling with family who alerted the ship’s crew of the situation,” Leonardi said.
“Carnival’s Care Team is supporting the guest’s family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones,” she added, noting that “all appropriate authorities have been alerted.”
Investigation and Response
Law enforcement boarded the ship when it docked at Catalina Island, a resort destination located 22 miles southwest of Los Angeles in the Pacific Ocean, to “collect information.”
The victim's family left the Firenze at that point and returned home, while fellow passengers continued their journey via tender boats to Avalon, the island's only city.
The FBI has since confirmed to NBC News that it is investigating the woman’s death. Passengers told ABC7 Eyewitness News that the ship had departed Long Beach several hours behind schedule on Sunday night. The fatal fall occurred around 2 a.m. Monday morning, early in the voyage.
Passenger Kelly Duhs expressed frustration over the lack of information provided. “We hear about this happening. We never think that we’re going to be on the ship. It’s very disturbing and sad,” she said. “There’s a lot of older people on this ship that are concerned. They don’t know what happened.”
About the Carnival Firenze
The Firenze offers numerous Italian bars and restaurants and can accommodate more than 5,000 guests, according to the cruise line’s website. It also features “Terrazza staterooms” that “give you a stylish, comfy place to unwind from all the fun,” along with access to a private deck.
Previous Incident
Carnival made headlines in November when a passenger on its Horizon vessel, 18-year-old Anna Kepler, was found dead. Her stepbrother, identified only as TH, subsequently faced federal murder charges, to which he pleaded not guilty last week.
