Carnival Cruise Lines says a man has been arrested for investigation of murdering his wife on a cruise to Mexico.
(AP Photo)
Some 20 FBI agents were taken to the ship while at sea Wednesday night on a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter. They spent the night interviewing the suspect and 30 to 40 potential witnesses.
Once the ship arrived in California, U.S. and state authorities had jurisdiction in the case, Dickerson said.
Maritime law also requires that all crimes aboard cruise ships be reported to the country where the ship is flagged -- Greece, Panama and the Bahamas being the three most common flag states. In the United States, cruise lines have an agreement with the FBI and the Coast Guard to report crimes in U.S. waters or involving U.S. citizens.
Former U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, a Connecticut Republican, who while in politics advocated for cruise lines to report crimes, told ABCNews.com in January that cruise ships are "the place to commit the perfect crime."
"You don't need a major weapon, and your evidence disappears," he said. "They say they're a miniature city, but they don't have anyone on board who is capable of investigating a crime."
The Associated Press and ABC News's Sarah Netter contributed to this report.
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