DEATH IN PARADISE

Two Crew Members Were Killed in an ‘Incident’ on Cruise Ship

The cruise line said the cause of the incident was being investigated by the Bahamas Maritime Authority.

Two crew members aboard a Holland America cruise ship died during an “incident” on Friday, the Associated Press reports. The incident occurred in the engineering space while the MS Nieuw Amsterdam was docked at Half Moon Cay, on Little San Salvador, an island in the Bahamas. The ship had left Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on March 16 to embark on an eight-day trip. In a statement from the company, which is a subsidiary of Carnival Cruises, the two individuals who died were not named, and no details about them or the incident were offered. “All of us at Holland America Line are deeply saddened by this incident and our thoughts and prayers are with our team members’ families at this difficult time,” the statement said. “The safety, security and welfare of all guests and crew are the company’s absolute priority.” The cruise line said that the authorities had been notified, and the cause of the incident was being investigated by the Bahamas Maritime Authority. A 2020 study from Bowling Green State University found that an average of 31 people die on cruises every year, but it is quite rare for crew members to die onboard the massive ships.