Tragic Loss: Two Holland America Crew Members Die in Cruise Ship Incident

March 23, 2024 / 1:20 PM EDT

/ CBS/AP

Two crew members on a Holland America cruise ship died during an “incident” in the ship’s engineering space, the cruise line said.

The unidentified crew members died Friday while the Florida-based Nieuw Amsterdam was at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, Holland America said in a statement.

Authorities were notified and the cause of the accident is being investigated, the cruise line said. 

The cruise line emphasized that the safety, security, and welfare of guests and crew are their utmost priority, also debunking rumors of a shipboard fire leading to the crew members’ demise. The company did not give additional information about the crewmembers or the investigating agency. The ship embarked from Fort Lauderdale on the 16th of March for a weeklong journey.

Support in the form of counseling was being provided to the crew members.

“Everyone at Holland America Line is devastated by this incident and our hearts go out to our team members’ families during this challenging time,” the statement read. 

Crew member deaths are relatively rare. Researchers at Bowling Green State University found between 2000 and 2019, there were 623 reported deaths on cruise ships, and 89% of those deaths were passengers while 11% of those were crew members.

During the pandemic, four crew members were killed by non-coronavirus causes on cruise ships with workers stranded onboard.

First published on March 23, 2024 / 1:20 PM EDT

© 2024 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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