As of: March 25, 2024, 1:12 p.m
By: Natascha Berger
Comments
Press
Split
The cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam of the shipping company Holland America Line.
Two crew members died on board.
© IMAGO/xpaulbradyphotox
A cruise from Florida to the Bahamas ended fatally for two crew members.
The investigation is still ongoing - but speculation about an explosion on board is increasing.
Bahamas – A seven-day cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to an island in the Bahamas ended tragically in the early hours of March 22nd.
Two crew members of the ship Nieuw Amsterdam died in an engine room.
How exactly the accident could have occurred is now being investigated.
Speculation is mounting on social media about a possible explosion on board the Holland America Line cruise ship.
The 285-meter-long ship ended its journey in the port of Half Moon Cay, a private island owned by the cruise line in the Bahamas.
According to the police of the Caribbean archipelago, the captain was alerted to a malfunction in the engine room via the automatic fire alarm system at around 9:30 a.m.
Upon arrival in the engine room, the firefighting team discovered a steam leak, which was immediately repaired.
Two crew members die on a cruise ship - psychological help for crew after accident
“The crew members were searched for, but found them unresponsive with severe burns,” the police statement continued.
Both victims were examined by the district doctor and then declared dead.
The shipping company Holland American Line speaks on social media of an “incident” on board the Nieuw Amsterdam, the cause of which is now being investigated in more detail.
Just a few months ago, a cruise trip for a woman in the Bahamas ended fatally.
According to US media reports, the captain informed the passengers about the tragic incident over the ship's loudspeaker system in the afternoon.
A passenger told
NBC News
that the captain burst into tears and called for a moment of silence for the two dead crew members.
The shipping company Holland America Line wrote in the statement that it was “deeply saddened by the incident.”
The safety, protection and well-being of guests and crew is the company's top priority.
Crew members are offered psychological support.
Explosion in the engine room?
Speculation about the cause of the accident on the cruise ship online
There is growing speculation on social media about a possible explosion in the engine room and fire on board.
However, these have not yet been confirmed.
Despite the two deaths on board, the cruise ship returned to its home port of Fort Lauderdale with its passengers a little later than planned.
No further information was made public about the identities of the deceased crew members.
Most recently, a passenger on a cruise ship made serious allegations against an entertainer who is said to have raped her on board the MSC Fantasia.
Last year, an accident on an AIDA cruise ship caused a stir.
A crew member fell overboard and could not be rescued despite intensive searches.