US3 min(s) read
Published 10:02 02 May 2026 GMT
Tragic new details have emerged about the final moments of a young woman who died after falling from a Carnival cruise ship off the California coast earlier this week.
The 24-year-old, who has been identified as Briana Miller, reportedly fell to her death from the balcony of her stateroom on board the Carnival Firenze on Monday morning (April 27).
According to a source close to the case who spoke to The California Post, Miller had been arguing with her family in the moments before she fell.
The FBI is said to be still investigating the incident.
The Carnival Firenze had set sail from Long Beach on Sunday and was bound for Mexico when the incident occurred.
The ship can carry up to 4,126 guests and 1,425 crew members, and is around 1,061 feet long.
The source told The California Post that Miller jumped from her stateroom balcony before hitting the deck below.
A private investigator named Kelly Duhs, who happened to be on board the ship at the time, told the outlet that members of the ship's staff said the victim had been fighting with her family before her death.
"It's horrible," she said.
According to a law enforcement officer, Miller's body was transported off the ship on Monday and her family left the same day.
Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed the death and says it's supporting the family.
Spokesperson Julie Leonardi told reporters that the victim had been travelling with her family, and that they were the ones who alerted the ship's crew to what had happened.
"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," Leonardi said.
She added that the cruise line's 'Care Team' was with the family in the aftermath.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones," she said.
The FBI confirmed it had boarded the Carnival Firenze when it docked in Catalina Island on Monday.
"The FBI responded to the ship when it docked in Catalina Island on Monday and is investigating an incident on board which resulted in death," FBI spokesperson Lourdes Arocho told The California Post.
"More specific details are not being provided at this time as the investigation is ongoing."
Miller's death is the second cruise-related death involving Carnival to make headlines in recent months.
Last November, 18-year-old Anna Kepner was found dead beneath a bed in her cabin on the Carnival Horizon.
Her death was later ruled as mechanical asphyxia, and her 16-year-old stepbrother was charged with homicide in connection with her death in February 2026.
If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available 24/7. In the US, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the UK, you can call Samaritans on 116 123.
