Cruise Ship Docks With Two Corpses Onboard

Passengers deaths believed to be unrelated.

ByABC News
October 28, 2011, 3:27 PM

Oct. 28, 2011— -- A cruise ship docked in Boston this morning with two dead passengers onboard.

The Norwegian Cruise Line ship, the Norwegian Dawn, docked at 6:30 a.m., after it notified authorities that two people had died onboard the ship Thursday. Authorities said the deaths are unrelated.

A 23-year-old man from Littleton, N.H., was found dead in his cabin of unknown causes. His cabin is being "processed" for possible evidence.

A 67-year-old woman from Tiverton, R.I., appears to have died of a chronic medical condition, and her death was not deemed suspicious.

Neither victim has been identified.

The Suffolk County District Attorney's office said that evidence gathered by its detectives and the FBI "indicates that the two deaths ... were not the result of foul play ... are considered nonhomicides."

FBI spokesman Greg Comcowich said that the FBI had taken control of the scene because the federal agency is responsible for investigating crimes on the high seas.

The medical examiner's office has taken custody of the 23-year-old man's body.

The Norwegian Cruise Line issued a statement saying the ship had just returned from a seven-day trip to Bermuda, and that it would not release the names of the deceased out of respect for their families.

According to the Norwegian Cruise Line's website, the Norwegian Dawn can carry 2,224 people, including 1,073 crew members. The ship comes equipped with a doctor and a nurse, and keeps common medications onboard.

The Boston Globe reported that disembarking passengers said they had not been told of the deaths.

"In the absence of criminal charges, no further details will be released," read a statement from the DA's office.