Key Aspects:
- MSC Seascape returned to Galveston on Monday morning after departing on Sunday, November 8, 2026 due to a suspected homicide onboard.
- The FBI is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard, Port of Galveston Police Department, Customs and Border Protection, and MSC Cruises on the investigation.
- No details of the circumstances of the incident or the alleged victim’s name, age, or gender have been released.
Just hours after MSC Seascape departed Galveston on Sunday, November 8, 2026, the ship returned to her homeport. This is not unusual if a guest or crew member has a medical emergency, but the reason for MSC Seascape to abruptly head back to Texas is more dire, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has now begun a suspected homicide investigation related to the ship.
KGTX 7 News reported that the FBI responded to a suspected homicide onboard the 5,877-guest ship, but few details are available from official sources at this time. The individual’s identity, age, and circumstances of the death have not been released.
Cruise Hive has reached out to MSC Cruises for a statement and received confirmation of the incident.
“On reporting a guest incident aboard our ship, we were instructed by the authorities to return to the Port of Galveston. We are cooperating fully with the investigation and providing support to those impacted. The ship has left the port and resumed its planned itinerary,” the cruise line confirmed.
“As this is an active investigation, we cannot provide more details. Our thoughts are with the guest’s family and friends at this difficult time.”
Connor Hagan, Public Affairs Officer of FBI Houston, has also stated that additional details cannot be provided due to the ongoing investigation. This is standard procedure for any active investigation when the full circumstances of an incident have not yet been determined. The FBI also confirmed its involvement in an official Facebook post.
MSC Seascape was docked in Galveston for several hours on Monday, November 9, but Cruise Hive’s ship tracker confirms the vessel has departed and is now on its way to Costa Maya.
The Mexican destination is planned as the ship’s first port visit for the 7-night itinerary. There is no confirmation about whether or not the cruise itinerary will be adjusted, but tracking shows the ship is anticipated to arrive at Costa Maya on Wednesday, November 11, the same day as originally planned. MSC Seascape is also scheduled to visit Roatan and Cozumel during the sailing.
Guests Onboard Have Limited Information
Guests currently onboard MSC Seascape have posted on Reddit about the situation. While details have not been officially confirmed, guest reports indicate the incident happened on Deck 10 and may have involved a fight or other altercation, possibly with an individual fatally hitting their head during the incident.
A section of Deck 10 (Tasmania Deck) has reportedly been blocked off toward the forward part of the ship. That deck has no public spaces, only guest staterooms.
Unconfirmed rumors have cited everything from someone falling off an upper deck to a murder-suicide, domestic violence, or even a double homicide with an unknown chain of events.
Photos from guests onboard do show local authorities onboard the ship on Monday morning, and multiple guests claim to have seen an individual escorted off the ship in handcuffs. Elevators were shut down for a few minutes at that time.
Ship services have continued normally during the unusual delay, including scheduled activities and dining operations.
Guests report that announcements have been made onboard confirming that MSC Seascape will still visit all her ports of call planned for the sailing, but there has been no confirmation if any port times may need adjusting.
