A Royal Caribbean crew member violently attacked another worker before jumping off the world's largest cruise ship.
The 35-year-old South African man stabbed a 28-year-old South African on Thursday, July 24, shortly before 7:30PM, the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) confirmed.
Guests reported hearing "Oscar, Oscar, Oscar" (Royal Caribbean's secret code word for "man overboard") around 7:18PM. Icon then slowed down and returned to the location where the crew member had gone overboard. He was found dead by onboard medical staff less than an hour later.
One passenger revealed that they saw the rescue mission from their port-side balcony cabin, where they witnessed crew members dropping life preservers into the ocean. They also saw a rescue boat deployed, which later returned with the crew member onboard. However, guests weren't made immediately aware of his condition and presumed the rescue mission was successful.
Read more: Crew member dies after going overboard from Royal Caribbean cruise ship
Royal Caribbean initially shared that there was a man overboard incident on Icon of the Seas that resulted in the death of a crew member but withheld further details until authorities could investigate.
"Our crew immediately initiated a search and rescue operation, but unfortunately, the crew member passed away. We extend our condolences to the crew member’s family and loved ones," said Royal Caribbean in a brief statement issued to 7News Miami.
However, in a statement given to NBC News, police confirmed that the incident involved a dispute between two crew members and that the woman sustained multiple stab wounds to her upper body. She received treatment and is in stable condition.
(Credit: CBS News Miami)
"One of the crew members was injured, was attended to by the onboard medical team, and she is now in stable condition," a Royal Caribbean spokesperson later said.
"Unfortunately, the other crew member is deceased after he went overboard and was recovered in a search and rescue operation."
Icon of the Seas was sailing about 200 miles off the coast of Nassau, Bahamas, en route to Perfect Day at CocoCay when the crew member jumped overboard. The last day of the 7-night itinerary wasn't impacted by the incident, and Icon returned to Miami, Florida, on Saturday, July 26.
An investigation into the attack is ongoing. Additionally, an autopsy will be conducted to determine the crew member's exact cause of death. There's no reason that the investigation should impact or delay cruise operations for future Icon sailings.
The two crew members have not been identified out of respect for their families and their privacy.
