An investigation is underway after a woman fell to her death from a balcony aboard a cruise ship off California.
The tragedy occurred on the Carnival Firenze, a roughly 1,000-foot Italian-themed party boat operated by Carnival Corporation that had departed from Long Beach and was en route to Ensenada, Mexico, via Catalina Island.
Company spokeswoman Julie Leonardi said in a statement that the victim had fallen from her stateroom balcony on the deck below but could not disclose her identity or the circumstances leading up to the incident Monday.
“The female guest was traveling with family who alerted the ship’s crew of the situation,” she said.
“Carnival’s Care Team is supporting the guest’s family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones,” Leonardi added, explaining that “all appropriate authorities have been alerted.”
Law enforcement were able to board the ship and “collect information” when it docked at Catalina, a resort island that lies 22 miles southwest of Los Angeles in the Pacific.
The woman’s family left the Firenze at the same juncture and returned home while their fellow passengers were taken on in tender boats to Avalon, the island’s only city.
The FBI has since told NBC News that it is investigating the woman’s death.
Passengers told ABC7 Eyewitness News that the ship had left Long Beach several hours behind schedule Sunday night, with the fatal fall occurring at around 2 a.m. Monday morning, meaning it took place early on in its voyage.
Passenger Kelly Duhs told the same outlet she was frustrated about the lack of information forthcoming about precisely what happened.
“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.”
The Firenze offers a number of Italian bars and restaurants and space for more than 5,000 guests, according to the cruise line’s website, which also promises “Terrazza staterooms” that “give you a stylish, comfy place to unwind from all the fun,” as well as access to a private deck.
Carnival last made headlines in November when a passenger on its Horizon vessel, 18-year-old Anna Kepler, was found dead, subsequently leading to her stepbrother, identified only as TH, facing federal murder charges, to which he pleaded not guilty last week.
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