FBI investigates death of passenger onboard Carnival cruise ship

The FBI is investigating a recent death on a Texas-based Carnival cruise ship.

On July 23, passengers on board the Carnival Dream cruise ship were woken up to sirens just around 3 or 4 a.m., KHOU 11 reports. One passenger told the outlet she heard an announcement requesting medical assistance. The ship — which takes passengers on a six-day route through the Western Caribbean — was near Belize City at the time, Fox News reports.

Now, Carnival has confirmed there was a death on board, and the FBI is investigating.

"It is standard practice for the FBI to review deaths that occur on cruise ships,” a Carnival spokesperson told The Independent. “This routine protocol ensures transparency.”

“It does not automatically imply suspicious circumstances, and the facts of this matter do not suggest any such activity,” the spokesperson added. “We extend our heartfelt sympathy to our guest's family and loved ones in this difficult time."

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A Maritime Liaison Agent is looking into the incident, FBI Houston Public Affairs Officer Connor Hagan told The Independent. The agent is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection and Carnival.

“Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, I am not able to provide additional details at this time,” Hagan said.

The details of the death are unclear. Passengers on board the ship told KHOU 11 they saw police entering the ship Saturday as they were delayed while trying to disembark in Galveston, Texas.

A Carnival spokesperson previously said there was no investigation into a suspicious death.

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“There is no investigation about a suspicious death on Carnival Dream and it’s disappointing to learn that any guests might be spreading rumors about something they know nothing about,” the spokesperson told KHOU 11 on Saturday.

While the FBI is investigating this particular incident, there are many rules that determine which law enforcement agency has jurisdiction on board cruise ships. Important factors include the location of the ship, the owner of the ship and the nationality of the people involved in an incident, according to the FBI.

"It really depends," FBI Tampa Special Agent Mat Pagliarini said in a statement. "Do we have jurisdiction based on where the ship was? What was the next port of call? Was a U.S. citizen involved?"