A crew member from Royal Caribbean died after allegedly stabbing a colleague and then jumping overboard from the world’s largest cruise ship near the Bahamas, police reported.
The incident unfolded around 7:30 p.m. on July 24, 2025, aboard the Icon of the Seas, as it sailed off San Salvador Island, Bahamas. A 35-year-old man from South Africa reportedly stabbed a 28-year-old woman, also from South Africa, in her upper body multiple times before fleeing and jumping into the sea.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force stated that despite rescue efforts, the man was found unresponsive in the water and declared dead by medical staff onboard. The female victim was provided immediate medical attention and is in stable condition after sustaining multiple stab wounds to her upper body.
Passengers on the ship reported hearing “oscar oscar oscar” over the intercom, a code used by Royal Caribbean for a man overboard situation. Videos shared by passengers showed crew members responding to the emergency as the ship decelerated and turned to conduct search and rescue operations.
A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean described the incident as resulting from a personal dispute between the two crew members. The company stated that “one of the crew members was injured, was attended to by the onboard medical team, and she is now in stable condition.”
The onboard security team of the cruise line responded immediately to the incident, deploying a high-speed boat to search for the man who jumped overboard. Witnesses saw crew members throwing life rings into the water to mark the location where the man entered the sea.
Due to the size of the Icon of the Seas, which is nearly 3,937 feet long and weighs approximately 551,155,655 pounds, it took time for the vessel to slow down and maneuver back to the rescue location. The ship was traveling at a relatively slow speed after a day at sea and was heading to Royal Caribbean’s private island, CocoCay, for a stop scheduled the next day.
Royal Caribbean officials noted that the incident involved a personal dispute between two crew members, but did not release their identities or further details about the motive. The cruise line expressed condolences to the family of the deceased crew member and stated they would not provide additional information to respect the family’s privacy.
The Icon of the Seas continued its planned seven-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary after the incident. The ship had departed from PortMiami, Florida, on July 19, making stops in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas before returning to Florida. The vessel arrived at CocoCay as planned on July 25 and returned to PortMiami on July 26 to complete the voyage.
Many passengers were not aware of the incident until much later, as it was not publicly announced on the ship. Some shared videos on social media showing the rescue operation and crew members being pulled from the water onto rescue boats.
The Icon of the Seas is the world’s largest cruise ship, with a maximum capacity of 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members across its 19 floors. The vessel cost approximately $2 billion to build and features seven pools, six waterslides, nine whirlpools, and what Royal Caribbean markets as the world’s largest waterpark at sea.
Police have scheduled an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death for the male crew member. The investigation into the stabbing and subsequent events is ongoing, with authorities working to establish the circumstances that led to the violence.
According to travel industry experts, the incident represents a rare occurrence of violence aboard cruise ships. Royal Caribbean has not indicated whether any changes to security protocols or crew procedures will be implemented following the incident.
After completing its Eastern Caribbean voyage, the Icon of the Seas departed on its next scheduled seven-day Western Caribbean cruise as planned. The cruise line confirmed that no passengers were harmed or placed at risk during the incident involving the two crew members.
