8-Year-Old Dies After 2-Story Fall On Carnival Cruise Ship In Miami

An 8-year-old girl died Saturday after she fell from the second-story deck in a cruise ship's interior atrium to a lower deck, while the ship was docked in Miami, the Miami-Dade Police Department said.

The girl, whose name has not been released by the police, fell on the Carnival Cruise Line’s cruise ship called Carnival Glory while it was docked at the Dante B. Fascell Port of Miami on Saturday morning.

Miami Fire Rescue Capt. Ignatius Carroll said that they responded to the scene around 8:15 a.m. EDT and provided emergency care to the child, according to the Miami-Dade Police Department, CBS News reported.

Carroll said the 8-year-old girl fell about two stories inside the cruise ship when the ship was said to have just arrived and everyone was disembarking at the port after a week-long trip.

"We understand that the child may have fallen 20 or so feet from a landing," Miami Fire-Rescue spokesman Capt. Ignatius Carroll said at a news conference, CNN reported.

Bob Dorr, a passenger and retired former emergency medical technician, who was also on the ship, said he was the first person to start CPR on the girl, while a police officer was holding her neck. Carroll said the paramedics immediately took her to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center when she was in an extremely critical condition.

The girl succumbed to her injuries and died a few hours later, according to Miami-Dade police detective Alvaro Zabaleta.

It was unclear what led to the fall. Homicide detectives have been investigating the incident, police said. Zabaleta also said that investigators were working closely with the cruise ship personnel “to determine the details surrounding the incident,” according to ABC affiliate Local 10 News.

Carnival Cruise Lines said the ship's command had immediately contacted the police after the girl fell and subsequently transported her to the ship's medical center.

“Our most heartfelt care and concern is with the family at this very difficult time,” Carnival Cruise Lines Vice President of Corporate Communications, Jennifer de la Cruz said in a statement Saturday, Local 10 News reported.

Miami-Dade police said Saturday afternoon that the cruise ship had been turned back over to Carnival Cruise Lines in order for them to resume normal operations.