A Royal Caribbean crew member jumped overboard to his death last week on the Icon of the Seas ship after allegedly stabbing a colleague, in response to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
The incident occurred on July 24 shortly after 7:30 p.m. while the ship was sailing near the Bahamas. In accordance with police, a 28-year-old female crew member from South Africa was stabbed multiple times by a 35-year-old male crew member, also from South Africa.
Following the incident, the suspect reportedly fled the scene and jumped into the water from the huge ship, where he was retrieved unresponsive by rescue team members and pronounced dead by onboard medical staff, police said.
“The feminine victim sustained stab wounds to her upper body and was treated and is in stable condition,” they said.
Royal Caribbean didn’t discover the crew members involved within the incident.
“Our crew immediately initiated a search and rescue operation, but unfortunately the crew member passed away,” Royal Caribbean said in a press release to CBS News. “We extend our condolences to the crew member’s family and family members. To respect their privacy, we’ve no additional details to share.”
Police noted that an autopsy is scheduled to find out the precise reason behind death of the male crew member because the investigation continues.
Passengers on board the Icon of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, shared videos online showing crew members running to assist the person who jumped overboard. A voice could be heard saying, “Oscar, Oscar, Oscar,” which is believed to be code for man overboard.
In one other video shared on TikTok, passengers could be seen gathering on the edges of the ship, looking across the water. One woman says she will see the person who went overboard.
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In one other clip shared on the social media platform, a person could be seen lying motionless on the rescue boat while the medical team members try to sit down him up.
The ship was heading to the Bahamas’ CocoCay as a part of a seven-night cruise on the time.
The incident comes nearly a month after a person jumped off a Disney cruise ship to save lots of his daughter, who fell overboard while the ship was on its way back to South Florida.
On June 29, crew members from the Disney Dream rescue team pulled the girl and her father right into a small boat because the cruise ship was returning to Fort Lauderdale from the Bahamas on the last day of the voyage, in response to Disney and passengers who recorded the rescue on video.
A video shared on TikTok showed the person treading water along with his daughter in his arms. He handed her over to the rescue team before getting within the boat.
In a press release, a Disney spokesperson said, “We commend our crew members for his or her exceptional skills and prompt actions, which ensured the secure return of each guests to the ship inside minutes.”
“We’re committed to the protection and well-being of our guests, and this incident highlights the effectiveness of our safety protocols,” the corporate added.
In accordance with a 2020 report from the Cruise Lines International Association, the percentages of going overboard are unlikely.
From 2009 to 2019, there have been 212 people reported overboard, with 48 of those passengers successfully rescued. Yr over 12 months, there was a “significant decline” in each the variety of overboard incidents and the variety of fatalities.
— With files from The Associated Press
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