FBI opens investigation into 'suspicious' death of Carnival passenger

The FBI confirmed on Wednesday that it is investigating the death of a female passenger aboard a Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) cruise ship on the way to the Bahamas from the U.S.

The unidentified female passenger was pronounced dead on the ship on February 17 of unknown causes. While Carnival (CCL) released a subsequent statement indicating the the passenger died of natural causes, the FBI labeled the death as suspicious.

"While we continue to cooperate with authorities, all indications pertaining to the death of a guest on board Carnival Sunshine suggest that it was a natural death due to a medical condition," reads a statment from Carnival. The cruise line operator also said its initial emergency medical response was appropriate and it appears that the incident was indeed a medical situation.

Shares of Carnival (CCL) have traded slightly lower than peers since the death was reported, but analysts have reminded that the historical precedent is that it takes a long-lasting media spotlight on passenger safety to impact booking demand. On Wednesday, CCL opened trading with a 0.75% dip.

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