Fatal Plunge From Cruise Ship Probed

FBI and Coast Guard officials Saturday night were investigating the drowning of a newlywed woman who fell off a cruise ship 30 miles southwest of San Diego. authorities said. The victim’s husband was detained for questioning.

Coast Guard Officer Elizabeth Fleming said investigators had found “a piece of scalp and some possessions” on the deck where the 27-year-old woman had fallen about 2:50 a.m. Saturday. Fleming said there was “a possible struggle.”

The body was brought to San Diego while the Stardancer, with about 900 passengers on board, continued to its destination of Long Beach.

The woman had not been identified by the San Diego County coroner’s office late Saturday, but Coast Guard officials said the woman was from the Los Angeles area. Deputy coroner J. Larkie said an investigation into the cause of death would not begin until this morning.

Fleming said the husband did not have a driver’s license and the Coast Guard was trying to ascertain his identity. No other details were available, and an FBI duty agent refused to comment on the investigation.

The husband told ship officials his wife was blown overboard by a strong wind.

Coast Guard officials found her body at about 12:30 p.m. near where the incident occurred.

The couple were celebrating their honeymoon on board the Stardancer, a 550-foot luxury cruise ship owned by Admiral Cruises Inc. in Miami. The ship was on its way back to the Port of Long Beach after a weeklong excursion to three resort locations in Mexico.

Passenger Dick Heinrich of Chicago said he had talked with the couple earlier in the week. “They seemed to be enjoying each other,” he said. “They had a cake delivered to their table and everyone sang ‘Happy Honeymoon to You.’ ”

(Staffer Pete Zacchino contributed to this article.)