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Home / World

Mystery over woman's death on cruise ship Emerald Princess

news.com.au
27 Jul, 2017 06:19 AM4 mins to read

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Passengers aboard the Emerald Princess have escaped a nightmare cruise after the woman was killed on-board. Photo / Flickr Creative Commons, Boris Kasimov

Passengers aboard the Emerald Princess have escaped a nightmare cruise after the woman was killed on-board. Photo / Flickr Creative Commons, Boris Kasimov

As the siren call for security and medical staff sounded on Tuesday night, passengers wondered what the big announcement was all about.

The next morning, they would discover the awful tragedy.

Mystery surrounds the events leading up to a woman's suspicious death on a luxury cruise liner off the coast of America.

Passengers aboard the Emerald Princess were forced to wait for more than eight hours while officials investigated the death described as a "suspicious" domestic dispute.

"Hooded" passengers were later seen being escorted off the vessel.

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Yeah, people were shaken. No one knew what to do for the 8 hours we were trapped on the boat.

— Matt ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ (@iMatt413) July 27, 2017

Just walked past the FBI as I came back on board.

— Matt ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ (@iMatt413) July 27, 2017

The FBI boarded the cruise ship in Juneau. It was carrying 3400 passengers and 1100 crew members and it docked in the Alaskan capital overnight after the ship alerted passengers to the news surrounding the 39-year-old's death.

The ship, a Sydney-based liner operated by Princess Cruises and part of Carnival Australia, diverted to the city after the woman's body was found.

Her identity has not yet been revealed but federal officials say they plan to announce the filing of charges in the woman's death.

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Stuck on the #emeraldprincess hoping to one day make it off this boat. @PrincessCruises are holding us hostage at the Juneau port. @CNN

— Thel3lackMamba (@Thel3lackMamba4) July 26, 2017

A domestic dispute occurred onboard Emerald Princess last night, resulting in the death of a female guest. (cont.)

— Princess Cruises (@PrincessCruises) July 26, 2017

They won't let us off. Been stuck on here since 6am #EmeraldPrincess https://t.co/I50jZXRzlm

— Matt ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ (@iMatt413) July 26, 2017

The death occurred in US waters off the coast of Alaska on Tuesday night around 9pm.

Passengers told America's ABC News they were in lockdown and the captain had ordered passengers in decks 8, 9 and 10 on the port side to be interviewed by police.

@PrincessCruises when you can't let the pax off the ship at least have your bar staff and entertainment team on point. #juneau #alaska

— Beverly Brown (@ChilledBEVYrage) July 27, 2017

@PrincessCruises The captain and crew on Emerald Princess did an amazing job today. Thanks for keeping us informed.

— Courtney Vigna (@Courttty83) July 27, 2017

The ship departed Seattle on Sunday for a week-long trip that was cut short by the incident.

Before the bulk of the passengers were allowed off the ship, a smaller group of passengers were seen exiting in two groups wearing "white and grey hooded sweatshirts".

"The hoods and umbrellas obscured their faces," reported the Washington Post.

"The groups were taken to vehicles with dark-tinted windows waiting in a restricted area of the port, and the people were whisked away."

A passenger was detained by the crew, the cruise liner said, adding the ship had authority to detain a person who commits a crime.

@PrincessCruises Stuck on the Emerald. Miserable day! Not what we wanted from our vacation... what's your plan?

— Mike (@mlpix) July 27, 2017

Not really giving a reason. The FBI just won't let us off until they do what they need to do.

— Matt ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ (@iMatt413) July 27, 2017

The Associated Press took this photo of the Emerald Princess docked in Juneau. A woman died aboard the ship last night #komonews pic.twitter.com/u8Bhaygds9

— Joel Moreno (@JoelMorenoKOMO) July 27, 2017

A Princess Cruises spokeswoman would not confirm if passengers would be offered compensation but said "conversations" were taking place.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and all those impacted by this tragic event," Princess Cruises said in a statement.

Spokesperson Negin Kamali declined to comment on any further details of the case and referred all questions to the FBI.

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One passenger told news.com.au it seems "more people were bummed they were confined to the ship all day and missed their expensive tours".

"But I got the impression they had whoever was involved quickly."

One passenger tweeted "very frightening being on the Emerald right now - people are upset and don't know what to do".

Another said they were being "held hostage".

Honestly i think more people were bumed they were confined to ship all day and ended up missing their expensive tours.
I didnt see a thing.

— Mason Rhade (@masonrhade) July 27, 2017

From what the captain was telling us over intercom, i got the impression they had whoever was involved quickly

— Mason Rhade (@masonrhade) July 27, 2017

And that largely they werent letting people off board afterwards to make sure they got statements from anyone with a room nearby.

— Mason Rhade (@masonrhade) July 27, 2017

- Additional reporting by Associated Press

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