Image Courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean at the Center of Tragedy as Fiancée of Faster Pussycat Singer Falls to Her Death
March 6, 2025
Royal Caribbean is in the news due to an unfortunate tragedy during an ’80s-themed cruise. Kimberly Burch, the fiancée of Faster Pussycat lead singer Taime Downe, has fallen to her death while on board. Let’s look at what we know so far.
Kimberly Burch Has Died
According to NBC News, 56-year-old Burch fell to her death after arguing with Downe while on board the Royal Caribbean cruise. The account of Burch’s death was recounted by her mother, Carnell Burch, to TMZ. Carnell Burch also stated that her daughter had been drinking on the trip, which was unusual, and that she had no depression or emotional problems.
Police said preliminary indications show that soon after 10 p.m. on Sunday, March 2, “the victim is alleged to have gotten into an argument with her fiancé and, unfortunately, jumped overboard.”
The United States Coast Guard, the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, and an AIRMIA MH-65 searched the region but were unable to locate her body. Due to inclement weather, the search was called off the next day.
Royal Caribbean stated that the ship’s crew “immediately launched a search and rescue effort.” The company is engaging with local authorities on this issue.
“We are providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this difficult time. To respect the privacy of our guest’s family, we have no additional details to share,” a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson told NBC News.
No foul play is suspected in Burch’s death.
Deaths on Cruises, Including Royal Caribbean, Are Rare
While Kimberly Burch’s death is, unquestionably, a tragedy, and her death is making headlines due to her famous significant other, deaths on cruise ships are quite rare, which is why they make such headlines when they do.
According to the New York Post, Royal Caribbean is not obligated to disclose the findings of any investigation to the public by law. Florida-based lawyer Keith Brais, whose business specializes in maritime injuries and events, told the outlet last year that the statute allows the corporation and other cruise lines to downplay details that may show them in a poor light.
“They wouldn’t even need to report on how much alcohol might have been involved if it makes them look bad,” he said.
Brais stated that Royal Caribbean is not compelled to divulge its findings to the public and that it is unusual for a company to publicize anything that could make them appear accountable for the death.
“As a result, the cruise line is likely to find that the passenger’s death resulted from ‘natural causes,’ even if the totality of the circumstances at hand suggests otherwise,” according to the lawyer’s firm.
Braise stated that given his decades of expertise in the industry and law, alcohol is implicated in the vast majority of cases.
Furthermore, according to the Maritime Injury Guide, most cruise ships must contain a morgue and extra body bags in case of an emergency. The body will remain at the morgue until it can be disembarked at the next major port or the port of origin.
The cruise ship morgue is often a stainless-steel refrigerated area where bodies can be kept. It is typically found on the ship’s lower deck, along the ship-wide corridor known as I-95. Smaller cruise lines can carry two to three bodies, but larger ships can sometimes hold up to 10.
The cruise personnel also utilize specific codes depending on the situation. These codes are meant to allow crew members and other workers to communicate with one another and follow important processes without causing undue concern or havoc for the other passengers on board.
These emergency codes include “Charlie” for security concerns, “Delta” for bio-hazard on some cruise lines, and “Bravo” for a fire emergency on most cruise lines. In other circumstances, the codes vary according to the cruise line. For example, Royal Caribbean ships use “Alpha” for medical crises, whereas Carnival ships use it for fire situations.
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