FBI Opens Homicide Probe on MSC Ship in Galveston
Federal agents are coordinating with local and maritime authorities following a reported death on the MSC Seascape.
By Alexei Brooks ·
Federal investigators are examining a reported homicide on a cruise ship currently moored in Texas.
The FBI announced on Monday via its X account that its Texas City office is handling the case. The incident occurred aboard the MSC Seascape, which arrived at the Galveston dock earlier that day.
A maritime liaison agent is leading the joint response. The agent is working alongside the U.S. Coast Guard, the Port of Galveston Police Department, and Customs and Border Patrol. The cruise line is also part of the coordination effort. No further details were released immediately after the announcement.
The MSC Seascape is one of 23 vessels operated by the MSC cruise line. The company, founded in Naples, Italy, in 1988, is the third largest in the world. The ship is flagged in Malta and has a capacity for more than 5,800 passengers and roughly 1,600 crew members. Its current route serves the Caribbean.
The FBI stated it has authority to investigate crimes on vessels within U.S. territorial waters. Jurisdiction depends on factors such as the location of the ship, the nationalities of the people involved, and where the vessel embarks and debarks. The agency handles reports of serious bodily injury, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, sexual assault, robbery, and fires on the water.
CBS News Texas contacted MSC for comment on the incident. The ship remains docked in Galveston as the investigation proceeds.
