A 27-year-old man was found unresponsive aboard a cruise ship early on Jan 19 and was later pronounced dead.
The incident occurred on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas, which had just returned to Singapore after a four-day, three-night cruise to Penang.
In response to queries, a Singapore Police Force (SPF) spokesperson said police received a call for assistance at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre at about 6.35am on Jan 19. The man was pronounced dead at the scene by the ship’s doctor.
Based on preliminary investigations, police said foul play is not suspected. Investigations are ongoing.
A passenger on the cruise, who asked to be known only as AT, said a coded announcement was made over the ship’s public address system at around 5.45am. The announcement included a code and a specific room number, which she believed was intended to alert staff without alarming passengers.
“It sounded unusual because announcements are never made so early in the morning,” she said.
AT, who was staying on the same deck and just a few rooms away, later saw crew members rushing towards the room and heard doors slamming.
She only realised the seriousness of the situation later when she saw police officers on board as passengers were preparing to disembark. The room involved had been cordoned off, with a white box covering the door handle and a padlock securing it.
“It was very discreet. You wouldn’t notice unless you were paying attention,” she said, adding that nearby rooms had already been vacated for disembarkation.
