MIAMI (WSVN/WFOR/CNN) – A family’s Caribbean trip ended in tragedy when an 8-year-old girl fell two stories from a deck on board a cruise ship, officials say.
The young victim, named Zion, was on a deck, located two floors above the lobby, on a Carnival cruise ship when she fell to a lower deck Saturday morning.
One relative says Zion was only out of their sight a few seconds when the accident happened.
Crews rushed to render aid and contacted police. A retired emergency medical technician who was among the first to try and save the 8-year-old says the girl’s injuries were severe.
"Now, when Miami Fire Rescue arrived, we found that the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue was performing CPR on the 8-year-old child. Not sure exactly what happened, how the child fell, but we understand that the child may have fallen about 20 or so feet from a landing,” Capt. Ignatius Carroll said.
Zion was rushed in extremely critical condition to a nearby hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
The ship had just returned to port in Miami at the time of the incident. The victim’s family, who resides in the Bahamas, had completed a 7-day cruise on board.
“Our most heartfelt care and concern is with the family at this very difficult time,” reads Carnival Cruise Lines’ statement in part.
Police continue to investigate the incident.
The ship was turned over to Carnival to resume normal operations, police say.
Copyright 2017 WSVN, WFOR via CNN. All rights reserved.
