 Authorities are investigating the death of an American passenger on a Princess Cruises ship as it headed to Aruba early Tuesday, the cruise line says. The 52-year-old woman, described only as a "female guest" on the Royal Princess from the U.S., died under unclear circumstances. According to USA Today, "Aruba-based Diario reports the woman plunged from an upper deck of the 3,600-passenger Royal Princess onto a lifeboat after struggling with a man who was seen choking her." Another Aruba-based outlet, MasNoticia.com, reports authorities are investigating the incident as a possible murder case. In a brief statement sent to USA TODAY, Princess Cruises confirmed that a 52-year-old American woman died on the Royal Princess early Tuesday as it was en route to Aruba but did not discuss details of the incident. The 52-year-old woman was on the Royal Princess when she died, the company said, adding that, "The incident was reported to the FBI and local authorities and the local authorities met and boarded the ship upon arrival in Aruba. No cause of death has been reported, but her death was ruled unnatural, Aruba Public Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Ann Angela told ABC News. Princess Cruises said, "We are deeply saddened by this incident and offer our sincere condolences to the family and those affected." According to USA Today, the Royal Princess was cruising through the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and is set to return to the city Saturday.
– Not many details are out yet, but it's a big enough story that the FBI is now involved. ABC News reports that both local and federal authorities are investigating the Tuesday death of a 52-year-old woman on Princess Cruises' Royal Princess cruise ship. The vessel had departed its Florida port in Fort Lauderdale and was on a seven-day journey, with Aruba as one of its destinations. That's where police boarded the ship after the incident was reported. "We are cooperating fully with the investigating authorities, including the FBI," Princess Cruises noted in a statement. CBS News and USA Today report that some Aruba news outlets are saying authorities may be treating the incident as a possible murder; an island police update on Facebook Tuesday notes it doesn't appear to be a "natural death." Per Newsweek, one outlet gets even more detail, reporting that the woman fell off the boat's top deck after she was seen scuffling with a "muscular" man who appeared to be choking her. A person claiming to be a passenger posted in a cruise forum that passengers weren't immediately allowed off the ship in Aruba, and that cops and forensic technicians had come onboard. "We are deeply saddened by this incident and offer our sincere condolences to the family and those affected," the cruise line added in its statement. The ship is set to arrive back in Florida on Saturday. (A "tragic accident" on another cruise line last month.)