Two crew members aboard a Holland America cruise ship tragically lost their lives during an “incident” in the vessel’s engineering space, as confirmed by the cruise line.
The incident occurred on Friday while the Nieuw Amsterdam, based in Florida, was docked at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, according to Holland America’s statement.
Authorities have been alerted, and an investigation into the cause of the accident is underway, the cruise line reported.
“The safety, security, and welfare of all guests and crew are the company’s absolute priority,” emphasized the cruise line, while also dispelling rumors of a shipboard fire leading to the crew members’ demise.
No further details regarding the deceased crew members or the investigating agency were provided by the cruise line. The ship commenced its voyage from Fort Lauderdale on March 16 for a seven-night journey.
Counseling services are being extended to crew members affected by the incident.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families of our team members during this challenging time,” expressed the statement from Holland America Line.
While occurrences of crew member deaths are uncommon, statistics compiled by Bowling Green State University researchers indicate that between 2000 and 2019, there were 623 reported deaths on cruise ships, with passengers accounting for 89% of the fatalities and crew members for 11%.
Amid the pandemic, four crew members lost their lives due to non-coronavirus-related causes while stranded onboard cruise ships.
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