OAN’s Stephanie Stahl
5:15 PM – Monday, October 2, 2023
A cruise ship passenger was stabbed by another passenger during the ship’s return voyage to Norfolk, Virginia.
The incident reportedly occurred on Friday evening, while both passengers were aboard the Carnival Magic for an eight-day cruise.
The victim was allegedly stabbed in the ship’s theater by a passenger holding a bar glass, according to a spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Lines. The spokesperson did not specify whether the bar glass was intact or broken, but the incident has been characterized as a stabbing by authorities.
The victim’s condition and the extent of their injuries remain undisclosed, however, they did receive medical attention from the ship’s medical team.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has now opened an investigation into the incident.
According to reports, the assailant was confined to their cabin and they are now permanently banned from sailing on any other Carnival cruise ships from this point forward.
A security team member should have been stationed outside the assailant’s cabin, according to the company’s safety measures.
Carnival Cruise Lines issued a statement regarding the incident.
“We have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior and the assailant guest has been permanently banned from sailing on Carnival in the future, but this is now a matter for law enforcement.”
Federal investigators and local law enforcement were alerted and boarded the ship upon its arrival in Norfolk on Sunday morning. Carnival Cruise Lines, as per their statement, is fully cooperating with the investigative authorities.
“Out of nowhere, we heard this horrifying scream, multiple screams, louder than the production itself,” a passenger on the ship told reporters. “When they turned on the light, everybody on that side of the theater was scampering around moving trying to get out of the way,” the passenger continued. “We were on the opposite side of the theater and had no idea what was happening over there, but I knew it wasn’t anything good.”
Neither the victim nor the assailant was named or identified in the police report.
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