A Royal Caribbean crew member stabbed a fellow crew member on the Icon of the Seas cruise ship, and then died after jumping overboard near the Bahamas, off the coast of San Salvador Island.
The 35-year-old South African allegedly stabbed a 28-year-old compatriot multiple times last Thursday night, as reported by the police, according to CBS News.
The woman suffered stab wounds to the upper body and, as per the latest reports, was in stable condition. The man fled the scene and jumped into the water. The police reported that medical personnel on board the cruise ship found him unconscious and declared him dead.
"Our crew immediately initiated a search and rescue operation, but unfortunately the crew member passed away," Royal Caribbean stated on Friday. "We extend our condolences to the crew member's family and loved ones. To respect their privacy, we have no further details to share."
Passengers on board shared videos with CBS News Miami showing crew members running to help after hearing "oscar oscar oscar" on the intercom, which is the man overboard secret code.
The incident remains under police investigation.
The Icon of the Seas is the world's largest cruise ship. It completed a 7-night cruise from the Port of Miami.
The incident occurred almost a month after a father jumped from a Disney cruise ship to save his 5-year-old daughter, who fell overboard during the voyage between the Bahamas and Fort Lauderdale. Both survived.
"If we look at the number of cruises we currently have worldwide and the number of people on board, we will realize that this is a rarity, not something normal," stated Susan Rice, president of New Era Travel.
According to its itinerary, the Icon of the Seas is scheduled to return to PortMiami on Saturday.