The FBI is investigating the horrifying death of a 12-year-old boy who fell from the balcony of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship on Saturday.
The child, who has not been identified, was aboard the Harmony of the Seas as it returned to Galveston, Texas, following a seven-day western Caribbean cruise.
“We are deeply saddened to confirm the death of one of our guests,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement to Newsweek. “Our Care Team is providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share.”
The child landed in the ship’s “Central Park” area, which is where many of the ship’s bars, restaurants and shops are located, according to PEOPLE. He reportedly died from his injuries before the ship docked.
An FBI Houston spokesperson told Newsweek that they are investigating the incident and they are “the primary federal agency authorized to investigate potential crimes on the high seas.”
“An FBI Maritime Liaison Agent, based out of the Texas City Resident Agency, is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the cruise line regarding this incident,” the spokesperson said. “Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, I am not able to provide additional details at this time.”
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection for more information.
The child’s death remains under investigation.
Harmony of the Seas is “one of the world’s largest cruise ships,” according to the cruise company’s website. The vessel can fit around 6,780 guests.
The ship’s western Caribbean route includes stops in Mexico and Honduras. The vessel has since left Galveston for its next Western Caribbean voyage.
A 16-year-old died on the ship in 2019. He slipped while trying to access his room from a neighboring balcony. A spokesperson for the company had called the incident “a tragic accident” in a statement to Good Morning America at the time.
That same year, 18-month-old Chloe Rae Margaret Wiegand fell to her death on another Royal Caribbean ship, Freedom of the Seas, after being dropped by her grandfather Salvatore Anello, who was charged with homicide, and he later accepted a plea deal.
The family filed a civil suit against the cruise line, claiming that Anello did not know the window was open.
The Royal Caribbean cruise line brand was founded in 1968 in Norway. It leads the cruise line industry in revenue. It also has the second-highest passenger count in the industry. The company has a fleet of 28 ships, including largest cruise ship in the world Icon of the Seas.
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