The FBI is investigating the death of a passenger on board a Carnival Cruise Line ship.
The cruise line told USA TODAY that the guest’s death took place during a cruise on Carnival Horizon, which returned to Miami on Nov. 8. The ship had been on a six-day Caribbean cruise, according to CruiseMapper.
“Since this is an ongoing matter under the jurisdiction of law enforcement, it is up to the FBI’s Miami public affairs office to provide further details,” Carnival said in an emailed statement. “Our focus is on supporting the family of our guest.”
The guest’s family identified her as 18-year-old Anna Kepner, ABC News reported.
The FBI “responded to the scene,” according to special agent Willie Creech. “Because this is an ongoing matter, no further information is available at this time,” Creech told USA TODAY in an email.
The news comes after the FBI previously responded to the death of another passenger aboard Carnival Dream in July. At the time, then-Carnival spokesperson Matt Lupoli told USA TODAY that it is “standard practice” for the FBI to review deaths on cruises.
“This routine protocol ensures transparency,” he said in an emailed statement, adding that it “does not automatically imply suspicious circumstances.”
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
