A teenager has died after falling from multiples floors on a cruise ship returning to Miami.
The Miami-Dade Police Department tells PEOPLE that a 15-year-old boy, aboard the MSC Cruise ship, “jumped from a balcony” and landed on one of the decks below. The local medical examiner has ruled the death a suicide.
A spokesperson for the cruise line issued a statement to PEOPLE, saying: “All of us at MSC Cruises are heartbroken. The family remains in our thoughts and prayers. Out of respect for the family’s privacy, we will not be discussing any additional details.”
The incident took place Wednesday at around 7:30 p.m. local time, according to Fox News and Crew Center, following a five-night trip in the Caribbean and the Bahamas.
In a statement given to Crew Center, a passenger onboard the ship shared that the vessel’s captain made a “man overboard on the port side” announcement over the ship’s PA system the night of the incident.
“We just had 3 emergency blasts following captain’s announcement ‘Man Overboard,'” the unnamed passenger told the outlet at the time. “People started running to the sides to investigate what happen, although it’s nighttime.”
The passenger also explained that crew members told all guests to return to their rooms and to stay away from public areas around the ship.
“A crew member came to our cabin and instructed us to close the balcony door and draw the blinds. Police will board tomorrow when we return to Miami to investigate this tragic event,” they added.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
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