On Sunday, October 13th, a 6-year-old boy drowned in one of the pools aboard a Carnival Cruise ship while the vessel was on the final leg of a four-day Caribbean tour. The young boy, Qwentyn Hunter of Winter Garden, Florida, drowned in the Carnival Victory’s mid-ship pool while swimming with his 10-year-old brother, according a statement issued by Carnival Cruise Lines.
Boy’s Death Ruled a Tragic Accident
Carnival spokeswoman, Joyce Oliva, explained in an email to The Associated Press, “To the best of our knowledge it is the first time a child has drowned aboard one of our ships.” The ship made port in Miami on Monday, October 14th. The Victory carried 3,094 guests aboard the ship and approximately 1,100 staff members, according to Carnival records.
“Carnival extends its heartfelt sympathy to the family during this very difficult time. The company’s Care-Team is providing assistance and support,” Carnival said in a publicly issued statement.
Investigators from the Miami-Dade Police Department confirmed that the boy was with his older brother in the pool at the time of the accident. Other passengers immediately pulled the boy from the water and one began performing CPR, but Hunter could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police investigators noted that the drowning appeared to be accidental and foul play was not suspected. Hunter’s parents could not be reached for comment in connection with the incident.
Carnival Cruise Lines, a Miami-based cruise company, has 24 ships that attract an average of 4.5 million passengers a year. Carnival also runs a number of cruises out of the nearby Ports of Tampa and Ft. Myers.
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