12-year-old boy falls from cruise ship balcony and dies

A 12-year-old boy died after falling from the balcony of a cruise ship.

The teenager was on board the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas — which was en route to Galveston, Texas, at the end of a week-long cruise — when the incident occurred on Saturday, September 7.

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson told PEOPLE: “We are deeply saddened to confirm the death of one of our guests. Our Care Team is supporting and advising the guest's family during this difficult time. Due to privacy reasons, we are unable to share further details.”

PEOPLE has confirmed that the boy fell in the ship's “Central Park” area on Deck 8, where many of the ship's bars, restaurants and shops are located. He sadly died before the ship docked in Texas.

The news comes after a 16-year-old boy fell to his death on the ship in 2019.

According to several sources, the teenager fell while trying to climb from the balcony into his room.

At the time, Owen Torres, Royal Caribbean's corporate communications manager, confirmed the death in a statement to PEOPLE. “We are saddened by the loss of one of our guests in a tragic accident,” the statement said.

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The Broward Medical Examiner's Office confirmed to PEOPLE in a statement at the time that the boy was on the eighth floor of the Harmony of the Seas when he tried to climb into his room because he had forgotten his room key.

According to a press release from Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas was the largest cruise ship in the world when it was commissioned in 2016. Its maiden voyage began in November 2016 from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The ship has 16 guest decks, 2,747 cabins and can accommodate over 5,000 guests.