A Royal Caribbean crew member died after allegedly stabbing a fellow employee and subsequently jumping overboard, as reported by police. The incident occurred aboard the Icon of the Seas near San Salvador Island. A 35-year-old South African man reportedly attacked a 28-year-old South African woman, inflicting multiple stab wounds before fleeing the scene by jumping into the water. He was later recovered unresponsive and pronounced dead by medical personnel on board.
Initial reports suggested that a crew member had simply "fallen" overboard, raising concerns about safety protocols on cruise ships that carry thousands of passengers and crew. The injured woman was airlifted to a Miami hospital, where she is in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
Royal Caribbean has not disclosed the identities of those involved or the motive behind the attack, although a spokesperson indicated it stemmed from a "personal dispute." The case is under investigation, with an autopsy pending to determine the cause of death for the man. The Icon of the Seas, which can carry up to 7,600 passengers, is scheduled to return to Miami after a weeklong voyage through the eastern Caribbean.
