Passengers have endured a nightmare end to their holiday after a woman from Utah, US, died on the Princess Cruises ship on Tuesday night.
The Emerald Princess had to divert to Juneau, Alaska, after the 39-year-old’s suspicious death. FBI boarded the ship overnight to investigate, with one person now being held in custody.
The woman died in US waters off the coast of Alaska at around 9pm after a domestic dispute.
Passengers were asked to stay on the ship as the investigation took place and many had to be interviewed by officers.
According to the Washington Post, several people were escorted off the ship by authorities in two separate groups.
Most of them were wearing white and grey hooded sweat shirts, with hoods and umbrellas shielding their faces from view.
Both groups were taken to the port’s restricted area, placed in vehicles with dark tinted windows and driven away.
The itinerary departed Seattle on Sunday for a week-long holiday but it was cut short by the tragic event.
Operated by Carnival Australia, the liner was carrying 3,400 passengers and 1,100 crew.
The FBI and Coast Guard are both investigating the death as it occurred in US waters.
Thousands of passengers were finally allowed to disembark yesterday after being stuck on board for eight hours while the investigation took place.
Princess Cruises confirmed “conversations” were taking place to decide whether the passengers will be compensated.
A spokesperson said: “Princess Cruises can confirm that a domestic dispute occurred onboard Emerald Princess at approximately 9:00pm on July 25, resulting in the death of a 39-year old female guest from Utah.
“Since the incident, our fleet security team has been coordinating with the FBI and other local authorities.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and all those impacted by this tragic event.”