cruise death honduras

Cruise passenger dies after falling over balcony onto lower deck, spokesperson says

A passenger aboard a Virgin Voyages cruise ship died after falling over their balcony shortly after departure, a spokesperson said.

The ship, Valiant Lady, had left Miami on Sunday for Roatan, Honduras, when the incident occurred.

"On Sunday, shortly after departure there was a medical emergency involving one of our passengers," the cruise line company said in an emailed statement. "This passenger went over their balcony onto a lower deck, and despite receiving immediate medical attention, has passed away."

The passenger, who has not been identified, fell onto another person, Insider reported . The spokesperson for Virgin Voyages said in their statement that the second person was not seriously injured.

The spokesperson declined to release further details, saying it wants to protect the privacy of those involved.

The ship returned to Miami early Monday morning but has since resumed its voyage with slight changes to the itinerary.

Virgin Voyages said it was "deeply saddened" by what happened. "Our hearts and thoughts are with this person's loved ones," the statement said.

Minyvonne Burke is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News.

Cruise Passenger Dies After Falling Over Balcony Onto Lower Deck, Virgin Voyages Says

The virgin voyages ship, valiant lady, left miami on sunday for roatan, honduras, when the incident occurred, published april 4, 2023.

A passenger aboard a Virgin Voyages cruise ship died after falling over their balcony shortly after departure, a spokesperson said.

The ship, Valiant Lady, left Miami on Sunday for Roatan, Honduras, when the incident occurred.

"On Sunday, shortly after departure there was a medical emergency involving one of our passengers," the cruise line company said in an emailed statement. "This passenger went over their balcony onto a lower deck, and despite receiving immediate medical attention, has passed away."

Business Insider reports that the passenger, who has not been identified, fell onto another person. The spokesperson for Virgin Voyages said in their statement that the second person was not seriously injured.

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Virgin Voyages passenger dies after falling from cruise ship balcony

A Virgin Voyages passenger died after falling from a balcony on the line's Valiant Lady ship, the cruise line said Monday.

The passenger fell shortly after departure Sunday as the ship went to Roatan, Honduras. 

"This passenger went over their balcony onto a lower deck, and despite receiving immediate medical attention, has passed away," a Virgin spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "We are deeply saddened by this loss of life and our hearts and thoughts are with this person's loved ones."

The vessel "was immediately redirected back to Miami, where the team are working closely with local officials," the spokesperson added. The ship has since resumed its sailing with an adjusted itinerary, including a missed port of call in Roatan.

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Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady ship began sailing from the U.S. in October 2021. The ship had been set to debut at PortMiami in April 2020 but was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Valiant Lady entered service in 2022.

Between 2009 and 2019, there were 292 serious injuries to passengers or crew members on cruise ships and 126 minor injuries,  according to statistics compiled for Cruise Lines International Association by consulting firm G.P. Wild (International) Limited.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

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Passenger on cruise from Miami dies after falling from balcony

Steve Owen , Assistant News Director

PORTMIAMI, Fla. – Authorities are investigating after a death on a cruise ship that had left PortMiami.

Virgin Voyages said a passenger on the “Valiant Lady” fell from a balcony onto a lower deck and landed on another passenger on Sunday.

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The passenger died from the fall.

The person on the lower deck was not badly hurt.

Virgin Voyages released this statement, “This passenger went over their balcony onto a lower deck, and despite receiving immediate medical attention, has passed away. We are deeply saddened by this loss of life and our hearts and thoughts are with this person’s loved ones.”

The ship was sailing to Roatán, Honduras, but returned early to PortMiami on Monday, one day after the deadly fall.

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About the Author

Steve Owen is the Assistant News Director at WPLG, and helps lead the daily news operations.

Passenger dies after falling off balcony to lower deck on cruise ship: reports

• Updated: Apr. 06, 2023, 6:50 p.m. |
• Published: Apr. 06, 2023, 1:47 p.m.

The Scarlet Lady, the first ship from the new cruise line Virgin Voyages, is scheduled to debut in Miami in May. Photo courtesy of Virgin Voyages

• Deron Dalton | [email protected]

A passenger died from falling off the balcony onto the lower deck of a Virgin Voyages ship shortly after the cruise took off, a spokesperson recently confirmed.

The ship, Valiant Lady, departed from Miami heading to Roatan, Honduras, on Sunday. Shortly after the departure, the incident happened, according to NBC News .

“On Sunday, shortly after departure there was a medical emergency involving one of our passengers,” an emailed statement from the cruise ship company read. “This passenger went over their balcony onto a lower deck, and despite receiving immediate medical attention, has passed away.”

“We are deeply saddened by this loss of life and our hearts and thoughts are with this person’s loved ones,” the statement added.

According to Insider , the passenger fell off the balcony and landed on another person. Though the second individual was not severely injured.

The FBI hadn’t responded to Insider ’s request for comment at the time of publication. Also, the spokesperson did not release any additional details about the incident nor has the passenger been identified yet.

Read more via Insider .

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Woman dies after falling off cruise ship balcony and landing on fellow passenger

The incident occurred shortly after the Virgin Voyages cruise ship departed from Miami ahead of his scheduled itinerary to Roatan in Honduras on Sunday evening

• 01:12, 4 Apr 2023
• Updated 16:39, 4 Apr 2023

A woman on board a Virgin Voyages cruise liner has died after falling off a balcony and landing on a fellow passenger on a deck below, say reports.

The incident occurred shortly after the cruise ship departed from Miami ahead of its scheduled itinerary to Roatan in Honduras on Sunday evening.

The woman is thought to have been on the balcony before falling over and landing on to another passenger, who remarkably came away unscathed.

The victim received immediate medical attention but died at the scene. It is believed that the ship returned to Miami following the tragic incident with local officials working to determine what led to the woman's fall.

A statement from Virgin Voyages read: "On Sunday, shortly after departure there was a medical emergency involving one of our passengers. This passenger went over their balcony onto a lower deck, and despite receiving immediate medical attention, has passed away. We are deeply saddened by this loss of life and our hearts and thoughts are with this person’s loved ones.

"After the incident, the ship was immediately redirected back to Miami, where the team are working closely with local officials."

The tragic incident comes less than a month after a woman was found dead on a Carnival Cruise ship .

An FBI investigation has been launched after crew were notified that a woman was found unresponsive onboard and medical personnel rushed to help.

The cruise ship, Carnival Sunshine, had departed from Charleston, South Carolina on February 27 and was heading to the Bahamas.

After failed attempts to resuscitate the woman, she was pronounced dead and her body was removed three days later when the ship arrived in Nassau.

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When the ship later returned to Charleston on March 4, an FBI team of investigators boarded the cruise and examined the woman's room. The woman had been travelling with her husband, a statement from the operator said.

Carnival said it was also co-operating with local authorities. A statement read: "The FBI joined Carnival Sunshine upon its return to Charleston yesterday morning to conduct an investigation into the death of a guest."

It added: "Both the deceased and her husband were debarked in Nassau and Bahamian authorities have already investigated the circumstances and are conducting an autopsy.

"We are fully cooperating. This is a matter for authorities in The Bahamas and Charleston and we have no further comments."

Carnival Sunshine's home port is in South Carolina. Its maiden voyage floated in 1996 as Carnival Destiny before being renamed in 2013.

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Nightmare at sea as woman falls to death from Caribbean cruise ship balcony and lands on fellow passenger

4 April 2023, 09:35 | Updated: 4 April 2023, 09:56

By Danielle DeWolfe

A woman has died aboard a cruise ship in the Caribbean after falling from a balcony and landing on a fellow passenger who was walking on the deck below.

The Virgin Voyages cruise ship had recently departed the port of Miami in the direction of Roatan, Honduras, when the incident occurred, with passengers reporting the woman fell up to 10 stories onto the deck below.

Emergency medics aboard the Valiant Lady were quick to attend to the woman on the evening of Sunday, April 2, shortly after the ship set sail.

The first evening of the six-night cruise to the Mexican port of Cozumel, the ship had departed the Miami shortly after 6pm.

The passenger on the deck below is reported to have walked away from the incident uninjured.

"Yesterday evening shortly after departure there was a medical emergency involving one of our passengers," a Virgin spokesperson said.

"This passenger went over their balcony onto a lower deck, and despite receiving immediate medical attention, has passed away. 'We are deeply saddened by this loss of life and our hearts and thoughts are with this person's loved ones.'

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The ship made a u-turn during the early hours of Monday morning following the incident, with passengers informed of their return to the port of Miami shortly after 1am.

"I just started my FIRST cruise with Virgin Voyages… and someone fell from their balcony and died,' tweeted passenger Mel Murray following the incident.

"On the first day bro - people SAW that s*** happen. That is *terrifying*!!"

The ship will now skip Roatan due to timing issues and Costa Maya due to the weather, continuing on to Cozumel as planned.

🛳🆘️Tragedy At Sea: One Dead on Valiant Lady #shorts #virginvoyages #cruisenews

The Valiant Lady is then set to return to Miami on Saturday morning via the Caribbean island of Bimini.

Six-night cruises aboard the ship start at $1,700, with passengers reportedly being offered credit towards a future cruise as a result of the schedule changes.

The tragedy comes a matter of weeks after another woman was found dead on a Carnival Cruise ship.

The death triggered an FBI investigation after crew members aboard the ship were notified that a woman was found unresponsive onboard.

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Body of American who fell from cruise ship found off Honduras

August 21, 2015 / 4:11 AM EDT / AP

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Authorities in Honduras say the body of a U.S. tourist who fell from a cruise ship has been found in waters near the island of Roatan.

Tourism Institute press director Emilio Silvestri identified the tourist as 65-year-old Carol Ann Dimas and says she fell from the ship after it left Roatan en route to the Cayman Islands. He did not release her hometown.

He said the incident took place 5 miles from the Honduran island, which is popular with foreign tourists.

Silvestri said the navy and Red Cross searched for five hours without finding Dimas, but then employees of Miami-based Carnival Corp., which owns the cruise ship, found the floating body Thursday.

Officials did not offer details on how Dimas fell off the ship.

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Cruise passenger fatally injured during zip line shore excursion incident in Honduras

Cruise lines, which form a $40 billion dollar a year industry, derive substantial profits from shore excursions which they market and sell to passengers as part of the cruise vacation experience. Passengers should be very cautious before deciding to go on a cruise sanctioned shore excursion, as many of the basic safety standards and regulations mandated in the United States go absent or unenforced in foreign cruise ports of call.

In the last few years there have been many injuries and deaths from zip lining incidents during a cruise line shore excursion. In fact, several such incidents have occurred before in Roatan, Honduras. In 2015 a passenger on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas was horrifically injured while zip lining in Roatan on a zip line that was negligently operated with too much slack in the line. In 2009 a passenger on a Norwegian Cruise Line vessel plummeted to her death when a zip line cable in Gumbalimba Park, Honduras, snapped in mid air. There have been many other instances of death and injury from zip lining in other foreign ports of call, normally from faulty equipment and excursion operator error.

These unfortunate occurrences are not limited to zip lines, other unsafe shore excursions have been known to result in injuries to cruise passengers. Incidents of death and injury from drowning, diving in unmarked shallow water, boat wrecks, unsafe automobiles, ATV rollovers, horseback riding, and even snake bites have all been known to occur during cruise line shore excursions

Just last month the attorneys at Leesfield & Partners filed a lawsuit on behalf of ten individuals who were badly injured during a “Unimog” shore excursion in Freeport, Bahamas, stemming from a rollover of a military troop transport vehicle transporting passengers without seat belts or safety features. Over the last twenty years we have developed a reputation as industry leaders in cruise line shore excursion litigation . We have handled complex shore excursion litigation involving fatal parasailing incidents, a fatal bus crash during a shore excursion, pedestrian auto collisions at foreign ports, and many unique matters that have occurred abroad during cruise vacations. We take great pride in consistently obtaining outstanding results for our clients who have suffered injuries while on their cruise vacation. The challenges of a shore excursion case require an attorney of the highest quality of skill and expertise to avoid jurisdictional and litigation pitfalls.

It can be very difficult for a passenger to sue a shore excursion operator in the United States for these types of incidents due to jurisdictional limitations, and the cruise line is often the only entity that an injured individual can seek to hold liable. Passengers should also take heed of the fine print and read every document before paying the cruise line for a shore excursion or agreeing to participate. Often the ticket for the shore excursion will contain language and limitations included by the cruise line to limit its liability and distance itself from the shore excursion operator when disaster strikes. Last month a case from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit absolved Celebrity Cruises of liability and granted summary judgment against a cruise passenger injured on a shore excursion. The Court gave great weight to the fact that Celebrity Cruises had described the excursion operator as an “independent contractor” in ticket terms and conditions. Ironically, the case involved yet another zip line excursion injury.

Body found in search for passenger overboard on Pacific Adventure cruise ship due to arrive in Sydney

A body has been found in a large search operation off the coast of Sydney after a man was reported missing off a cruise ship early Monday.

About 10:30am, officers from the Police Marine Area Command retrieved a body from the water. 

The alarm was raised on the P&O vessel Pacific Adventure about 4am when it was about 10 nautical miles, or 18 kilometres, off Sydney Heads.

The ship was due to dock at White Bay Terminal a few hours later but that was delayed as the search was underway.

NSW Police Marine Commander Joseph McNulty earlier said police were hopeful because one of three emergency life rings that had been deployed had not been retrieved, fuelling hope the man may have latched onto it. 

Swells of 4 to 5 metres hindered efforts of rescue teams, which searched a 60-square-nautical-mile area and used infrared technology to search for the man's heat signature. 

A second cruise ship which was in the area has also joined the search. 

Both ships tried to lower life boats in to the water but had to abort due to the rough conditions. 

Family being cared for onboard

At least three police vessels and a number of tug boats were deployed in the search, alongside the Toll rescue helicopter. 

In a statement, P&O said there were more than 2,600 guests still on board the ship, which has now been cleared to return to port in Sydney. 

"Pacific Adventure's next voyage due to depart White Bay this afternoon has been delayed, with the ship expected to leave later tonight on a four-night voyage to Queensland," it said. 

"We thank guests for their care, understanding and patience on what's been a distressing day for guests and crew.

"Our thoughts are with the family of the guest at this difficult time."

Police have launched an investigation into the death and will prepare a report for the coroner. 

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U.S. tourist dies after falling from zip-line ride in Honduras

A U.S. woman fell 65 feet to her death during a zip-line ride through the jungle on the Caribbean island of Roatan, police said Thursday...

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TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — A U.S. woman fell 65 feet to her death during a zip-line ride through the jungle on the Caribbean island of Roatan, police said Thursday.

Barbara Sue Fojtasek, 44, was riding along a steel cable suspended between trees in the jungle when a harness holding her apparently broke on Tuesday, Honduran police said in a news release.

Fojtasek was taken to a private clinic on the island, then transferred to a hospital in the mainland city of San Pedro Sula, where she died on Wednesday.

Fojtasek had arrived in Roatan a week ago from Texas, said police, who did not identify her hometown or state. Authorities said they are investigating the cause of the fall.

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Zip lines have become popular in Central America, especially in Costa Rica where they’re strung high in the trees and give a thrilling ride. They’ve also been installed in places such as Whistler, B.C., and Southeast Alaska where many cruise passengers ride them during shore excursions

Death in Honduras Adds to Growing List of Cruise Zip-Line Accidents

An Israeli man on his honeymoon in Honduras was killed Thursday when he collided with his wife on a treetop zip-line. The wife was flown to Fort Lauderdale for treatment for serious injuries.

The accident, which took place on Roatan, a popular island for shore excursions, is only the latest in a string of incidents in recent years involving cruise-based zip-lining.

Zip lines are a quickly growing and often unregulated segment of the tourism industry that is spawning more and more horror stories about badly designed lines, incompetent owners, failed safety checks and plain bad luck that have broken tourists' bones and blinded, crippled and killed them. The zip-line operators, meanwhile, may quickly get back to business with nary a slap on the wrist. According to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, the number of zip-line injuries skyrocketed from hundreds in the 1990s to over 3,600 by 2012 just in the US. An Ohio State University study found that 12% of zip-line injuries were serious enough to require hospitalization, making it as dangerous or more dangerous than rock climbing.

And as zip lines have become popular around the globe, they've become almost de rigueur on cruise lines' menus of shore excursions, an easy way to appeal to the adventure-tourism market while still making it accessible, at least in theory, to normally sedentary passengers. But those cruise passengers aren't immune to the safety issues plaguing the zip-line industry as a whole.

Roatan alone saw a Norwegian Spirit passenger plunge to her death 10 years ago, followed three years ago by a woman on a Royal Caribbean ship who was seriously injured zip-lining. The Israeli couple in last week's accident, identified as Egael Tishman, 24, and Shif Fanken, 27, were passengers on the Royal Caribbean ship Allure of the Seas. The zip-line adventure was part of a cruise package.

It's not just an issue in Honduras. A Celebrity cruise to Dominica in 2014 left a zip-lining woman with a broken ankle when her legs slammed into a tree . In Puerto Rico in 2015, a 56-year-old woman from New Mexico on a Carnival vacation died when she fell 20 feet from a zip line. Outside Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in 2016, a California woman on a Norwegian cruise fell 500 feet from a zip line into the tree canopy, surviving but leaving her in a leg brace (the zip-line experience was one the woman's family arranged on their own, not through the cruise line). Meanwhile, online forums for cruise-ship aficionados are rife with stories of zip-line incidents that never make the news, like the man who was left dangling 200 feet in the air in St. Kitts.

The Royal Caribbean website describes the three-hour, $89 Extreme Caribe Zip Line Tour on Roatan as an opportunity to "[s]woop above exotic plants, giant African Palms and beautiful landscapes" with cables as long as 1,950 feet and as high as 300 feet."

Tishman's body is to be flown back to Israel to be buried, according to the Israeli foreign ministry. According a Honduran report, the official cause of death is believed to be a brain hemorrhage . Honduran authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

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Crime Rates in Honduras Remain High; Will Cruise Ship Passengers Be Safe in Port?

Written by LM&W Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. is made up of attorneys who are nationally recognized industry leaders in the field of maritime and admiralty law. Our team of cruise lawyers has well over two centuries of combined experience, has successfully handled over 3,000 cases, and has recovered over 300 million dollars in damages for our clients. Several of our attorneys have even been selected to “Best Lawyers” ® by US News & World Report every year as far back as 2016.

That being said, it surprises us that certain countries are still not seeing a significant decrease in crime rates, despite the fact that authorities claimed initiatives would be enacted to tackle the problem. In fact, the Department of State in the United States has just issued another travel warning this month about the continually high crime rate in Honduras, one of the most popular cruise destinations.

The Department, which also issued a travel warning for Honduras a few months ago, stressed that the “level of crime and violence in Honduras remains critically high”, but the nation “lacks the resources to address these issues.”

The warning goes on to explain that Honduras has had the highest murder rate in the world since 2010, with the Honduran Ministry of Security reporting a homicide rate of 75.6 per 100,000 people in 2013.

Several of these murder victims have been cruise passengers and crew members. Our maritime lawyers reported on the tragic death of a Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) crew member back in April, who was fatally shot after a gunman attempted to steal his Smartphone in Roatan Island, a favorite cruise port for many. Though the assailant was apprehended, cruise passengers and crew members continue to be easy targets for criminals, who know full well that foreigners are much more likely to carry cash on them, as well as jewelry, cameras and other valuables, and will not likely follow up with a police report since the time in port is relatively short.

NCL pulled out of Roatan Island shortly after the shooting, but has since resumed regular operations. But should cruise lines take further action, given that the nation’s authorities do not appear to be getting a handle on crime levels?

The answer to that is tricky because while crime continues to escalate and pose a threat to travelers, it is unlikely cruise lines will discontinue calling on a port for too long. Caribbean itineraries remain the most popular for cruise travel, and Roatan Island is a main port for those itineraries. If a cruise line were to pull out of Roatan indefinitely, they would likely lose a ton of revenue.

Of course, while revenue would be lost, undoubtedly, many passengers and crew members would be saved from potential dangers. Aside from shootings, travelers and crew members frequently fall victim to robbery, kidnapping and assault, especially sexual assault. Some cruise lines warn their guests of areas where crime is most likely to occur and advise them to remain as close to port as possible.

However, even remaining close to port can backfire. The NCL crew member that was killed was shot near the dock. And the report even states that many of the crimes are committed by the Honduran National Police! Does this mean there really aren’t any safe places in some of these island destinations? Unfortunately, maybe not.

According to the warning, “The vast majority of serious crimes in Honduras, including those against U.S. citizens, are never solved.” This means that some victims may never be able to obtain justice for the wrongs they have suffered. Given this fact, should cruise lines pull out of dangerous ports that continue to show critically high violent crime rates? Yes, of course. Cruise lines are required by maritime law to keep passengers and crew members safe, but like we said, the fact that cruise lines can lose a significant chunk of revenue if they were to do so means that it is highly unlikely ships will stop calling on Honduras, or any other dangerous port for that matter.

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Published on June 30, 2014

Categories: Crewmember S.O.S. , Cruise Ship Injuries , International Maritime

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Local News | Relatives of Key Bridge worker say goodbye in Honduras: ‘Mi muchachito’

A commercial flight bearing the remains of the 38-year-old worker arrived at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Ramón Villeda Morales Airport. At the Amor Eterno funeral home in San Pedro Sula, his family grieved openly over the box, labeled with his name and flight number, that held his coffin.

His family then took Suazo Sandoval’s body to his hometown of Azacualpa in Santa Bárbara — a town in an agricultural region where his brother Martín said he was beloved for his generosity — for a Wednesday burial. The youngest of eight siblings, Suazo Sandoval financially supported a local soccer league in Azacualpa, motivated by his belief that the sport could rescue young people from the wrong path.

Children who play on the league’s teams accompanied the funeral procession Wednesday through the streets of Azacualpa to the town’s cemetery.

Suazo Sandoval immigrated about 18 years ago to the United States, followed later by another brother, Carlos, and a sister, Norma. He built a life in Owings Mills, where he married and raised four children.

Maynor’s widow, Bertalia Verenice Martinez, said in Honduras that she made the difficult decision to repatriate her husband’s body for the sake of his elderly mother, whose health suffered after her son’s death.

“He always said he loved the United States because it gave him everything he had, and he loved Honduras because this is the country where he was born, where he grew up,” she said in Spanish.

Early on March 26, Suazo Sandoval was on the Key Bridge repairing potholes when the container ship Dali struck one of the bridge’s support columns, sending the span plunging into the Patapsco River. Six construction workers died, while a seventh member of the crew survived the fall.

Divers retrieved Suazo Sandoval’s body in early April and his family held services in Baltimore County before repatriating his body Tuesday to Honduras for burial. Also on Tuesday, teams recovered the final missing body, that of José Mynor López .

In Azacualpa, the Suazo Sandoval family held a wake at Fountain of Life Church in the center of town. The flag of his favorite Honduran soccer club, F.C. Motagua, was draped over his casket, along with the flag of Honduras. Bouquets of flowers, some in the shape of a cross, surrounded the coffin. An enlarged selfie of Suazo Sandoval in front of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., greeted mourners at the door.

His mother, Rosa Emerita Sandoval Paz, said she was glad to be able to bury her son in his hometown. She lost her husband, the family patriarch, less than a year ago.

“I am content to be able to have my little boy and bury him. It’s what I most wanted,” she said in Spanish, calling her son “mi muchachito.”

About 8:20 a.m. Wednesday, relatives took Suazo Sandoval’s body from the church to the house where he lived for many years for a family gathering.

A crowd then accompanied his body through the streets to the municipal cemetery, with dozens of young soccer players marching in single-file lines by team beside the hearse. Some members of the procession hoisted umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun. Temperatures above 100 degrees were forecast for Wednesday in Azacualpa.

Martín Suazo described his younger brother as a loving person committed to social causes.

“My brother was very loved in the municipality because he supported many people. Being a soccer lover, he believed this was a way to encourage children and that is why he supported 16 youth teams.”

Through tears, his widow said that the family was going through a difficult time and that her husband had always treated her with a lot of love and respect.

At 9:40 a.m., after the painful goodbye, dirt began to cover the coffin in the place where he will rest forever.

While family and friends gathered in Honduras to honor and bury Suazo Sandoval, brother Carlos and sister Norma stayed behind in Maryland. They attended a Mass on Saturday at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Southeast Baltimore’s Highlandtown neighborhood that marked 40 days since the bridge collapse.

Father Ako Walker asked attendees for six minutes of silence, one for each worker who died. Walker, the pastor of one of Baltimore’s largest Spanish-speaking congregations, reflected on the spiritual meaning of the word “permanecer” — to stay or remain — during his homily. After 40 days of understandable grief and of asking “why,” it was time to trust in God and the peace that faith can provide, Walker said.

Carlos Suazo Sandoval and his sister, Norma, sat together in a pew near the front of the church wearing T-shirts bearing a photo of their brother’s face, his name and the words “Mi Heroe.”  Mourners in Honduras wore the same shirts.

Children in the youth football leagues of Azacualpa accompany the funeral procession for Maynor Suazo Sandoval to the municipal cemetery. Maynor Suazo Sandoval financially supported these leagues.

Maynor Suazo Sandoval’s family and friends carry his casket from Fountain of Life Church in Azacualpa, Santa Bárbara, as they head to the cemetery in Honduras. (Héctor Edú/La Prensa)

Maynor Suazo's family and friends hold a wake at the Fountain of Life Church in Azacualpa, Santa Bárbara, Honduras before his burial. (Photo by Héctor Edú/La Prensa)

Rosa Emerita Sandoval Paz, mother of Maynor Suazo Sandoval, is consoled Tuesday by relatives in Funeraria Amor Eterno (Eternal Love Funeral Home) in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. (Héctor Edú/La Prensa)

Maynor Suazo Sandoval's family and friends hold a wake at Fountain of Life Church in Azacualpa, Santa Bárbara, Honduras, before his burial. (Photo by Héctor Edú/La Prensa)

Carlos Suazo Sandoval wears a shirt reading “my hero” in honor his brother Maynor Suazo Sandoval at a Mass at Sacred Heart of Jesus on May 4, 2024, marking 40 days since six workers died in the Key Bridge collapse. (Cassidy Jensen/Staff)

When Walker asked Carlos if he wanted to tell people about his brother, he waved his hand, answering “Después,” or later.

After the Mass, a woman sitting behind the family approached the siblings and embraced them. “I’m Honduran, too,” she told them in Spanish.

La Prensa reporters Eleana Enamorado and Kevin Mercado contributed to this article from Honduras. This coverage is part of an ongoing partnership between The Baltimore Sun and La Prensa.

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• Cruise News

Cruise News Update: November 29, 2023 [VIDEO]

Doug Parker

• November 29, 2023

Here are the top cruise industry news stories for Wednesday, November 29, 2023, and the stock report for Carnival Corporation (CCL), Royal Caribbean Group (RCL), and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH).

Cruise News Updates for Today

Teenager Dies After Falling from Balcony in Allure of the Seas

A 16-year-old tragically died after falling from an inward-facing balcony onto another balcony on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas. The incident was first reported by http://TMZ.com and confirmed by the cruise line.

The incident occurred Saturday during the ship’s voyage from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas.

Following the fall, an announcement was made on the ship requesting passengers to donate blood.

The teenager later passed away in a hospital.

Royal Caribbean expressed their condolences, stating their hearts go out to the family of the deceased, and out of respect, declined to comment further.

Cozumel, Costa Maya Considers $5 Tax on Cruise Passengers

And two popular cruise ports, Cozumel and Costa Maya, are considering implementing a $5 per person tax on cruise ship passengers.

Cruise lines would collect this tax at the time of cruise purchase and remit it to the state.

The 27 million dollars of revenue generated is intended to enhance infrastructure and bolster the state’s response to natural disasters like hurricanes.

If passed, the new tax is slated to begin on January 1, 2025.

Carnival to Launch New Ship on December

Carnival Cruise Line is preparing to launch its new ship, Carnival Jubilee, on December 23.

The ship will start its journey from Eemshaven, Netherlands, on December 3, moving to Bremerhaven, Germany, for the handover ceremony.

Ownership will officially transfer to Carnival Cruise Line on December 4. The ship then sails to Tenerife on December 10 for refueling and supplies before heading to Nassau.

The ship will arrive in Galveston on December 20 in preparation for its first voyage, a Christmas sailing starting December 23.

Cruise Line Stock Report

• CCL 14.63, flat
• RCL  105.69,  down 1%
• NCL  14.48, up 1%

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Cruise ship sails into New York City port with 44-foot dead whale across its bow

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NEW YORK (AP) — A cruise ship sailed into a New York City port with a 44-foot (13-meter) dead whale across its bow, marine authorities said.

The whale, identified as an endangered sei whale, was caught on the ship’s bow when it arrived at the Port of Brooklyn on Saturday, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries spokesperson Andrea Gomez said.

A spokesperson for MSC Cruises said the whale was on the MSC Meraviglia, which docked at Brooklyn before sailing to ports in New England and Canada.

“We immediately notified the relevant authorities, who are now conducting an examination of the whale,” officials with the cruise line said in a statement.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of any marine life,” the officials said, adding that the Geneva-based MSC Cruises follows all regulations designed to protect whales, such as altering itineraries in certain regions to avoid hitting the animals.

The dead whale was relocated to Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and towed to shore there to allow for better access to equipment and to conduct a necropsy, Gomez said.

The necropsy, an autopsy on an animal, was conducted on Tuesday, Gomez said. Samples collected from the whale will help biologists determine whether it was already dead when it was struck by the ship, she said.

Sei whales are typically observed in deeper waters far from the coastline, Gomez said. They are one of the largest whale species and are internationally protected.

From hangover treatment to hotel amenity

Recreational IV drips may be most famously associated with hangovers, but they can purportedly alleviate a wide range of symptoms, such as dehydration, brain fog, nausea and lethargy. Prices vary by city and type of IV cocktail, but basic drips start at about $150 and can rise fivefold or more.

IV drip clinics have been proliferating around the world. A number of Four Seasons spas — Orlando, Washington D.C., Maui, New York City — offer the amenity. At the Ranch , a wellness retreat in Malibu and New York’s Hudson Valley, guests can receive a drip poolside or in the privacy of their room. Shoppers can indulge in a different kind of retail therapy at Harrod’s in London and the Dubai Mall. Even cruise ships are getting in on the trend.

“This is global,” Kapp said. “I was in Honduras for a convention and they were doing IVs.”

But like pizza and barbecue, there are regional IV preferences.

In Type-A cities like Washington and New York City, travelers often book drips with the hopes of building their immunity and energy reserves. In avant-garde wellness destinations such as Los Angeles and Miami, the treatment is part of the broader longevity movement. In party towns with gaggles of bachelor and bachelorette parties, IV drips are fire hoses pumping out hangover cures.

Rose Salo, founder of San Diego IV , said she became of aware of IV drips as a wedding activity through actress Sofia Vergara, who provided the amenity at her 2015 nuptials. Since then, Salo said the “bougie luxury service” has gone mainstream. She said some groups book the treatment in advance, as part of their travel itinerary. Others call her in desperation, as if she were running an urgent care clinic.

“A lot of times we get bookings on the day-of,” she said. “They’ll wake up feeling like complete garbage and they have another day of shenanigans ahead of them. They’ll call us and say, “Can you have someone here ASAP?'”

At Reviv in the Cosmopolitan resort in Las Vegas , Jesse Schwartz, a registered nurse, recommends a reactive strategy: Do the damage first, then come in for a reboot. The IV bag will have the greatest effect when you are at your lowest point — dehydrated, exhausted, nauseous. After the IV flushes out the toxins, you can jump right back into the Vegas game.

“Once you get the hangover bag or the vitamin boost bag, you can go out and do what you want,” he said.

Los Angeles resident Chris Harmon first tried an IV treatment not to tackle a hangover but to battle a virus. His doctor, who works at Cure Medical in the Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village , prescribed a Myers cocktail. The drip did the trick, and he now averages 20 to 30 IVs a year.

The chief operating officer of a drug and alcohol treatment program in Malibu incorporates them into his travels. On a trip to the Sacramento area, he booked an appointment with a well-reviewed physician he found online. During the 45-minute session, he read his Kindle and relaxed while the IV worked its magic. He has also juiced up in his Austin hotel room during a visit with friends.

“It gave me more energy,” Harmon said. “I remember feeling the benefit immediately.”

The mechanics of the drip

Depending on state requirements, you might have to meet with a licensed medical practitioner for a consultation and vitals check before a drip. The treatment is usually administered by a registered nurse or a professional with comparable training. Some conditions could preclude you from treatment, such as pregnancy or certain heart, liver or kidney diseases.

“The reason that we rely very heavily on our medical team is that we sometimes have to turn people away who aren’t great candidates,” said Derek Hofmann, senior spa director at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando. “We err on the side of caution.”

People suffering from trypanophobia will be relieved to know that the nurse uses a needle only briefly, to insert the catheter. The treatment can last from 30 minutes to several hours.

Despite their popularity outside of hospitals, many experts in the medical and wellness fields are wary of IV drips. Beth McGroarty, vice president of research at the Global Wellness Institute, said the injection can lead to serious infections caused by improperly sterilized equipment or unclean skin. A reaction might occur during the treatment or hours to a day later.

In addition, flooding your body with unnecessary vitamins, minerals and other substances can cause toxicity and overwhelm your kidneys. To underscore her point, she cited a Texas woman who died of cardiac arrest last year after an electrolyte injection.

McGroarty also takes issue with the lack of federal oversight. The states regulate the practitioners, though governmental agencies occasionally step in with warnings.

In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration alerted consumers about unsanitary conditions at medical offices and clinics that administer treatments involving compounded drug products such as IV drips. “Contaminated, or otherwise poor quality, compounded drug products can lead to serious patient illnesses, including death,” the agency stated.

For Tofel’s drip, Madison Gnan, a registered nurse, removed the sterile items from their packaging, pulled nine vials of her travel case and made the cocktail to order.

“ I would not go to a place that doesn’t open it in front of you,” Tofel said.

Las Vegas, ground zero for luxury IVs

Though the treatment is commonplace, Las Vegas still feels like the epicenter of IV drips. Like Elvis impersonators, they are inescapable. During a recent stay on the Strip, I would pass clinics on my morning coffee run and during my aimless wanderings in the black hole of casinos. On a search for my hotel’s fitness center, I ended up inside an IV drip lounge.

I get a little wigged out by foreign objects embedded in my skin, but I mustered up the courage to stop by several places and ask my inner elbow: Do we dare?

I started at Ageless Las Vegas in Caesars Palace, which evoked the mysterious and moody atmosphere of a speakeasy. Co-founder Rio Alabastro showed me a red pinprick in her inner elbow. She said she had felt a little sluggish that morning and gave herself a little Get-Up-and-Go, one of the options she recommended to a virgin dripper. On my way out, she handed me a QR code with a discount.

Regenerate Me has three locations on the Strip. The outpost in the Linq Hotel sits across from a Dunkin’, so you can put your drip to work with a doughnut and chemically flavored coffee. The attendant told me most people order a hangover cure. I showed up at lunchtime, so I was either too late or too early for the rush.

The company’s clinic in Planet Hollywood was also empty. I peered through a gap in the treatment room and saw a row of reclining massage chairs arranged around a TV set. It felt like a den in Middle America.

Reviv has more than 80 locations, including the United Kingdom, Dubai and the Cosmopolitan in Vegas. The facility was predominantly furnished in white and emitted a vibe that was more Scandinavian lounge than sanitized hospital. Schwartz, whose arm displayed the mark of an IV, said about two dozen people had dropped in for IV treatments that day. Unless I drank more, I wouldn’t be the next.

More travel news

How we travel now: More people are taking booze-free trips — and airlines and hotels are taking note. Some couples are ditching the traditional honeymoon for a “buddymoon” with their pals. Interested? Here are the best tools for making a group trip work.

Bad behavior: Entitled tourists are running amok, defacing the Colosseum , getting rowdy in Bali and messing with wild animals in national parks. Some destinations are fighting back with public awareness campaigns — or just by telling out-of-control visitors to stay away .

Safety concerns: A door blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet, leaving passengers traumatized — but without serious injuries. The ordeal led to widespread flight cancellations after the jet was grounded, and some travelers have taken steps to avoid the plane in the future. The incident has also sparked a fresh discussion about whether it’s safe to fly with a baby on your lap .