Malfunctioning water slide on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship; distressing footage reveals passengers pleading 'stop please' - Watch Video
The Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, is set to return to Miami by Saturday, following a safety incident that occurred off the coast of San Salvador Island in the Bahamas.
On Thursday, a water slide malfunction took place on the Icon of the Seas. An acrylic glass panel on the "Frightening Bolt" waterslide shattered, injuring an adult passenger. The passenger did not fall through the hole and has been treated for minor injuries. The slide was closed for the remainder of the sailing while an investigation is underway.
CBS News reported that video of the accident shows water pouring out from the damaged section of the slide. Royal Caribbean Group confirmed the mishap and provided medical care to the injured guest. The slide will remain closed for the rest of the voyage while investigations continue.
In a separate incident, a deadly altercation occurred on the same ship two weeks ago. A 35-year-old South African crew member allegedly stabbed a 28-year-old South African woman multiple times. After the altercation, the suspect fled and jumped overboard. The woman was treated by the ship's medical team, and her condition is currently stable. The crew member was later found dead.
Regarding other incidents such as falls from pool railings on the Icon of the Seas, no confirmations or reports have been made available. The known safety issues as of now are specifically the waterslide malfunction and the deadly altercation described above.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson described the altercation as a 'personal dispute'. No further information was provided about the current status or investigation of either incident, and the names of the two individuals involved were not revealed.
Despite these incidents, Royal Caribbean continues to work diligently to ensure the safety and well-being of its passengers and crew members. The Icon of the Seas is expected to resume its regular operations after completing the necessary investigations and repairs.
- Concerns about safety on the Icon of the Seas have arisen following a water slide malfunction that led to an adult passenger's injury, and a deadly altercation between a South African crew member and a South African woman.
- On Thursday, a panel on the "Frightening Bolt" water slide shattered, causing injuries to one passenger, while two weeks ago, a crew member reportedly stabbed a female passenger multiple times, and both individuals had to be treated by the ship's medical team.
- Unfortunately, under investigation is not only the waterslide malfunction, but also the deadly altercation on the Icon of the Seas, which the Royal Caribbean spokesperson referred to as a 'personal dispute'.
- Despite these incidents, Royal Caribbean is committed to resuming the Icon of the Seas' regular operations after completing safety investigations and necessary repairs, ensuring the well-being of their passengers and crew members, while being careful to avoid similar accidents in the future, which could be linked to sporting activities or lifestyle routines during travel, crime and justice issues, or general news topics that may affect the ship's environment and passenger safety.
