FBI investigates gruesome death of 12-year-old on board Royal Caribbean cruise

The FBI is investigating the horrific death of a 12-year-old boy who fell from the balcony of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship on Saturday.

The child, whose identity is unknown, was on board the Harmony of the Seas as it returned to Galveston, Texas, after a seven-day cruise in the Western Caribbean.

“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 offering support and help to the guest's family during this difficult time. For data protection reasons, we cannot provide any further details.”

The child landed in the ship’s “Central Park,” where many of the ship’s bars, restaurants and shops are located, so PEOPLEHe reportedly succumbed to his injuries before the ship docked.

The FBI said The Washington Post They said they were investigating the death and were “the primary federal agency authorized to investigate possible crimes on the high seas.”

Newsweek has contacted the FBI for further information.

The agency said it is also coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection.

The incident remains under investigation.

Harmony of the Seas is, according to the cruise line's website, “one of the largest cruise ships in the world.” The ship can accommodate around 6,780 guests.

The ship's Western Caribbean itinerary includes stops in Mexico and Honduras. The ship has now departed Galveston for its next Western Caribbean voyage.

In 2019, a 16-year-old died on the ship. He slipped while trying to get to his room from a neighboring balcony. A company spokesman described the incident as a “tragic accident” in a statement to the Reuters news agency. Good morning America at that time.

That same year, 18-month-old Chloe Rae Margaret Wiegand fell to her death on another Royal Caribbean ship, the Freedom of the Seas, after being dropped off by her grandfather, Salvatore Anello, who was charged with murder and later accepted a plea deal.

The family filed a civil lawsuit against the cruise line, claiming Anello did not know the window was open.

The Royal Caribbean cruise brand was founded in Norway in 1968. It is the cruise line with the highest revenue in the industry. It also has the second highest number of passengers in the industry. The company has a fleet of 28 ships, including the largest cruise ship in the world, the Icon of the Seas.

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