The young passenger who tragically lost her life aboard the Carnival Horizon has been identified as 18-year-old Anna Kepner, as shared by her family.
Carnival Cruise Line disclosed to Fox News Digital that they are actively collaborating with federal authorities investigating the circumstances of the passenger’s death. The incident occurred during the ship’s latest journey, which concluded in Miami on Saturday morning. Anna’s mother announced on Facebook that her daughter passed away while on the cruise.
An FBI representative confirmed that agents were present when the vessel docked and that the matter is still under investigation.
“I can confirm that the FBI has responded to the scene,” the spokesperson informed Fox News Digital. “As this is an active investigation, no additional details are available at this time.”
Anna Kepner was recognized by her family as the individual who died on the Carnival Horizon.
The FBI has not released information regarding the nature of the investigation or if any foul play is suspected.
Kepner’s family told ABC News that the 18-year-old was going to graduate high school in May and had dreams to join the military.
“When she walked into a room, she would light it up,” her family said. “If you were sad, she’d make you laugh. She would joke around and be the funniest little person in school.”
“She had just finished taking the test to join the military…She was already talking to recruiters and had chosen her career path. She wanted to do something that would help her community,” they added.
Kepner was also heavily involved within her community and volunteered in her grandparents’ 55+ neighborhood as well as helping local businesses in Titusville, Florida, where she’s from.
“She was a people person,” her family said. “She loved being around people. She had that type of energy that just drew you in with her smile and the way she carried herself. She was such an easy person to talk to.”
Anna Kepner’s family said she had dreams of joining the military. (Instagram/Anna Kepner)
Kepner was a member of her high school’s varsity cheerleading team and enjoyed spending time near the water, as she had her scuba certification and boating liscense, according to her family.
“She was the best child you could ever meet,” her family said. “We’ll always remember her for who she was.”
Temple Christian School, where Kepner went to school, described her in a Facebook post as “a bright, kind-hearted young woman whose presence brought warmth and energy into the classroom.
The Carnival Horizon cruise ship docked at the cruise terminal at Port Miami in Miami, Florida, on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Former FBI Special Agent Nicole Parker told Fox News Digital that cruise ship death cases can be “very complex” for law enforcement.
Parker said that the bureau typically assumes jurisdiction when potential crimes occur aboard cruise ships in international waters.
“The FBI has jurisdiction to handle cases when a crime occurs in international waters,” Parker said. “It’s very complex — it falls under what’s called special maritime jurisdiction laws that mandate this. For example, if a cruise departs from Miami, that gives FBI Miami jurisdiction if it’s returning in or out of a U.S. cruise port. And if the alleged crime occurred in international waters, then that’s the FBI’s responsibility.”
Parker, who spent years investigating maritime cases, said such probes often require complex coordination between agencies and cruise line officials.
A passenger died on Carnival Cruise Line’s Horizon ship. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“Basically, Obama signed this law and if there are certain crimes or allegations that occur on cruise ships, then the FBI has jurisdiction to work them,” Parker added.
“I actually discuss this in my book — crimes on the high seas were part of my responsibilities at the bureau,” she said. “It was a lot of work. I was the only one doing it, but those cases covered multiple things — probably eight or nine different categories. The FBI has the first right of refusal for those incidents, so the cruise line security officers would call me at all hours of the night, and I’d have to listen and determine whether we’d take the case.”
