Woman Jumps To Her Death On Cruise Ship After Being Detained By Security
A woman detained aboard a Carnival cruise ship reportedly jumped to her death in the Gulf of Mexico.
Cell phone footage obtained by WVUE shows the 32-year-old being restrained by security guards who are holding her hands behind her back as she calls out “Alicia” before being led away from the pool deck. It remains unclear why she was calling the name.
The video subsequently cuts to the scene of passengers and crew members frantically rushing to a railing, where a life preserver is seen being tossed overboard.
A Carnival spokesman told the New York Post that the woman was not handcuffed during the incident.
“Carnival Valor supported the search for a guest who jumped overboard from her balcony on Wednesday afternoon while the ship was at sea. The ship’s command immediately began search and rescue procedures, returned to the area near where the incident occurred and notified the US Coast Guard,” spokesman Matt Lupoli stated in an email. “Carnival’s CARE team is providing support to the guest’s husband who was traveling with her, as well as her family. Coast Guard officials took over the search effort and released Carnival Valor on Wednesday evening. Our thoughts are with our guest’s family.”
Lupoli says the woman was traveling with her husband on a five-day cruise to Mexico.
It isn’t clear what led the woman to jump overboard or the specific circumstances of why she was being led away.
The Coast Guard said it searched around 2,500 square miles over a 14-hour period for the woman before suspending the effort, according to NOLA.com.
“The decision to suspend a search-and-rescue case is never one we come to lightly,” Coast Guard spokesperson Chief Warrant Officer Tricia Eldredge told WVUE. “We offer our deepest sympathies to the family during this difficult time.”
The ship was sailing from Cozumel, Mexico to New Orleans when the woman jumped.
Passenger Kim Barnette told WAFB that the woman jumped after an incident between her and a man in the hot tub area on the 10th deck.
“Security got her out of the hot tub,” Barnette told the outlet. “Whenever they got to take her into custody, apparently she was upset and went over the rail.”
