Overview
- A woman was found dead aboard the cruise ship MSC Seascape, the vessel was ordered back to Galveston, and a passenger was removed and taken into custody on Monday.
- The FBI says it is leading the investigation and has said the person’s identity will be withheld until next of kin are notified; the Coast Guard, local harbor police, Customs and Border Protection and the cruise operator are also involved.
- Several media outlets cite a court filing that names a 48‑year‑old passenger as a suspect and says a murder charge was filed, but federal spokespeople have not confirmed those details.
- An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday to establish the cause of death and MSC Cruises later resumed the ship’s scheduled itinerary after cooperating with authorities.
- Homicides on large cruise ships are rare and often trigger layered federal and local probes that can delay public disclosure, affect families and disrupt voyages while forensic and legal work continue.