Authorities have revealed the official cause of death for a 24-year-old woman who went overboard from a Carnival cruise ship off the Southern California coast.
Briana Miller fell from the balcony of her cabin and landed on a lower deck of the Carnival Firenze on the morning of Monday, April 27, according to previous reports.
Miller was traveling with family members, who alerted the ship’s crew after the incident occurred near Santa Catalina Island.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled Miller’s death a suicide on Thursday, July 2, NBC Los Angeles reported. Her official cause of death was listed as blunt trauma, meaning she suffered fatal injuries from a forceful impact.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department previously confirmed that the FBI was handling the investigation.
“As is customary following these kinds of incidents, law enforcement was on board while the ship was in Catalina Island on Monday to collect information,” a Carnival Cruise Line spokesperson said in an earlier statement.
“Carnival’s Care Team is supporting the guest’s family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved one,” the spokesperson added.
The tragedy occurred during a four-night cruise aboard the Carnival Firenze, an Italian-inspired ship measuring more than 1,000 feet long. According to Carnival, the vessel can carry more than 4,000 passengers and approximately 1,425 crew members.
The cruise was scheduled to make stops at Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico. However, Miller’s death reportedly occurred before the ship arrived at Catalina Island.
Representatives for the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Carnival Cruise Line and the FBI did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.