The FBI Columbia SC field office is currently investigating a suspicious death that happened onboard a CCL-Carnival Cruise Line ship homeported in Charleston (South Carolina).
Carnival Sunshine's crew members were made aware of an unresponsive woman on February 27th, FBI spokesperson Kevin Wheeler revealed. Medical staff had attempted life-saving measures, but the woman had been pronounced dead on the scene.
Once the liner returned back to Port Charleston (on March 4th), members of FBI's Evidence Response Team responded to process the passenger’s stateroom, Wheeler said.
According to the spokesperson, the FBI investigated "certain crimes on the high seas, as well as suspicious deaths of U.S. persons.”
Officials said the accident was isolated and there was no threat to the other cruise passengers.
A spokesperson for CCL provided a statement on the accident on Sunday:
"The FBI joined Carnival Sunshine upon its return to Charleston yesterday morning to conduct an investigation into the death of a guest. Both the deceased and her husband were debarked in Nassau and Bahamian authorities have already investigated the circumstances and are conducting an autopsy. We are fully cooperating. This is a matter for authorities in The Bahamas and Charleston and we have no further comments."
Authorities are continuing to investigate the accident.
For more Carnival Sunshine incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.