Crew Member Dies After Allegedly Attacking Colleague on Icon of the Seas

🗣 Authorities say a male crew member on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship fatally jumped overboard shortly after allegedly stabbing a female colleague during an onboard altercation.

 

🚢⚓️ The Royal Bahamas Police said the incident occurred on the evening of July 24 while the ship was near San Salvador in the Bahamas. A 35-year-old male crew member from South Africa allegedly stabbed a 28-year-old female colleague, also South African, several times in the upper body. After the attack, the man reportedly fled the scene and jumped overboard.

 

Initial media reports suggested the man had accidentally fallen, but as maritime experts often note, people rarely fall off cruise ships without engaging in risky behavior – modern vessels have extensive safety barriers in place.

 

After the man went overboard, crew members quickly launched a rescue operation, deploying life rings to mark the location and sending out a fast rescue boat. The man was recovered from the water but was unconscious. He was later declared dead upon return to the ship.

 

The victim was treated onboard for multiple stab wounds and is currently in stable condition, according to Bahamian police. An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the exact cause of death for the male crew member.

 

🛳 Royal Caribbean released a brief statement confirming the incident stemmed from a “personal altercation between two crew members,” and that their security team responded promptly. Icon of the Seas, currently the largest cruise ship in the world, carries around 2,350 crew and up to 7,600 guests.

 

Source: The Maritime Executive

Picture: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.