An American tourist has died after he plunged four storeys from the balcony of a cruise ship.
Brian Rice, a father of two from Brownsburg in the state of Indiana, died Friday at sea on the Carnival Horizon near Miami.
The ship was returning from a six-day trip to the Caribbean, the Indianapolis Star reported.
Police said he fell from a ninth-floor balcony to a deck below on the cruise, where medical staff rendered aid before he succumbed to his injuries.
The medical examiner said he died from blunt force trauma, and ruled his death an accident, according to USA Today.
The cruise line said it began co-operating with authorities Saturday when the vessel returned to the Port of Miami.
“Our CareTeam continues to provide support to the guest’s family and we co-operated with the standard law enforcement investigation when the ship arrived to PortMiami on Saturday morning,” Carnival said in a statement, according to the Indianapolis Star.
A GoFundMe page was launched to provide financial support to his wife and twin 3-year-old boys.
“Anyone who knew Brian knows how easy it was to call him a friend,” the page said.
“He was the most generous person we knew. He’d give the shirt off his back for a stranger and drop everything to help a friend in need.
“Brian leaves behind the three people he was most proud of, an amazing wife Diane and twin three year old boys Brian Jr and Bradley, whom this effort will directly benefit.
“Also left behind are Brian’s mom, dad, brother Logan and sisters Myrissa and Chelsea.”
This story originally appeared in the New York Post and is reproduced here with permission
