A woman aboard the Carnival Firenze died early Monday after she plunged from a balcony and struck the deck below, according to the cruise line.
The unidentified woman was traveling alongside her family aboard the Italian-themed ship at the time of the incident, NBC News reported, citing Carnival Cruise Line. Her family alerted the ship’s crew of her death. The ship was set to travel from Catalina Island, California to Ensenada, a city on the Pacific coast of Mexico, the outlet reported.
A company spokesperson said law enforcement had responded in a statement to People. “As is customary following these kinds of incidents, law enforcement was on board while the ship was in Catalina Island on Monday to collect information. Carnival’s Care Team is supporting the guest’s family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones,” the spokesperson said, adding that the woman’s family has since left the ship for home. (RELATED: Woman Plunges To Her Death At Major US Airport, Police Say)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the incident, the agency confirmed to NBC 4 Los Angeles.
“The FBI responded to the ship when it docked in Catalina Island on Monday and is investigating an incident on board which resulted in death,” an FBI Los Angeles office spokesperson said in a statement obtained by People. The matter is “ongoing” and additional details were not released, according to the bureau.
Woman plunges to her death from balcony on Carnival cruise ship near Catalina Island https://t.co/BPZn8Bfjf9 pic.twitter.com/6wjVMuqCIB
— New York Post (@nypost) April 28, 2026
The Carnival Firenze is an over 1,000-foot long cruise ship, according to Carnival’s website. The ship features traditional Italian food, cocktails and Terrazza staterooms.
The incident is not the first one involving a cruise ship. A search and rescue effort begun Sunday morning after it was announced that a Norwegian cruise ship crew member fell overboard off the Massachusetts coast, though the U.S. Coast Guard later suspended the operation, according to CBS News.
Editor’s note: Headline altered to reflect that woman struck the deck, according to the cruise line.