Crew Member Found Dead Aboard Cruise Ship At Italy’s La Spezia Port, Investigation Underway

A 33-year-old crew member was found dead in her cabin after a cruise ship arrived at the Italian port of La Spezia on July 19.

The woman, identified only as “KD” by local media, was a stewardess from Mauritius. She was found by her partner, who also worked on board, after the vessel docked at around 7 a.m. He alerted the ship’s officers, and the ship’s medical team responded before confirming her death.

Italian newspaper Il Secolo XIX reported that investigators are treating the case as a suspected suicide based on evidence found inside the cabin.

However, authorities have not officially confirmed the cause of death. No arrests have been made, and the investigation is continuing.

After the ship completed berthing operations, police officers, forensic specialists and officials from the local prosecutor’s office boarded the vessel to examine the scene. Prosecutor Giacomo Gustavino reportedly interviewed the woman’s partner as part of the investigation.

Authorities are reviewing the sequence of events leading up to her death, including footage from the ship’s security camera system.

According to local media, time-stamped surveillance footage shows when the people involved entered and left the cabin. Investigators have also said an autopsy may be ordered as the inquiry continues.

The woman’s body was taken to the mortuary at Sant’Andrea Hospital in La Spezia, where it remains under the authority of judicial officials.

Italian authorities are also working with the Mauritian consulate to inform the woman’s family and provide consular assistance.

According to Il Secolo XIX, the woman’s family has raised concerns about how the case has been handled, alleging a lack of transparency and accountability by both the cruise operator and the hiring agency.

Family members said they believe several aspects of the investigation remain unresolved and plan to seek legal representation through an international law firm.

No official statement had been issued about the incident at the time of the reports.

The vessel left La Spezia at about 4:30 p.m. on July 19 after authorities completed their initial work on board. It returned to Civitavecchia (Rome) on July 20 and has since departed on its next scheduled 11-day voyage to Ravenna.

The ship is 965 feet long and can accommodate between 2,170 and 2,184 passengers, with around 1,000 to 1,022 crew members. Before arriving in La Spezia, it had visited ports in Italy, Montenegro and Croatia as part of its Mediterranean itinerary.

Italian authorities have not confirmed the cause of death, and the investigation remains ongoing.

References: nypost, cruisemapper