Burch went overboard following a dispute with Downe, causing the Royal Caribbean cruise ship to turn around as crew members desperately tried to retrieve her, according to TMZ, which shared video footage of the search and rescue efforts.
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“We do actually have a person overboard,” a Royal Caribbean crew member can be heard telling crew members and passengers on the cruise ship over a public address system.
“And just to advise you, the captain has turned the ship around, and we will have to be seeking for the person who is reported to go overboard,” the crew member added. “We are following all of our visual protocols, and we will keep you updated with the progress.”
Additional footage showed smaller boats hightailing it through the Caribbean at night in an effort to find Burch, who exited the vessel approximately 20 miles from Freeport, Bahamas.
It remains unclear exactly how Downe’s fiancée ended up overboard, but “her family says she died,” TMZ reported on Wednesday. The tragic incident unfolded on Sunday, with the 56-year-old’s body yet to be recovered. The Royal Bahamas Police Force claimed in a statement that Burch “jumped” off of the ship, while Burch’s mother, Carnell Burch, told TMZ she was “confident Kimberly wouldn’t purposefully hurt herself.”
Carnell said “Taime [Dpwne] called her on Monday to deliver the heartbreaking news.” She further told TMZ that “Kimberly had been drinking on the cruise — something that was out of character for her. She adds Kimberly wasn’t dealing with any depression or emotional issues, and was actually excited about the trip out of Miami.”
Burch was traveling with Downe and his fellow Faster Pussycat members on a 1980’s-themed cruise, for which the band was a featured act. The trip — dubbed “The ’80s Cruise” — departed from Miami, Florida, and was headed for the Bahamas.
Video footage of Faster Pussycat performing on the cruise ship a few hours before Burch went overboard was also shared by TMZ.
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The U.S. Coast Guard told TMZ that they deployed a helicopter crew and other search and rescue personnel to help the Royal Bahamas Defense Force — but the search efforts have since been suspended.
Downe and Burch had been together for roughly six or seven years.
Burch’s last Instagram post was published on the day she was lost at sea. She shared a photo of herself with Downe, writing, “We made it to The 80s Cruise.”
Downe, meanwhile, last published a photo to his Instagram account two weeks ago, in which he shared a photo of himself with Burch, writing, “I had a beautiful #ValentinesDay with my love and better half @burchkimberly.”
“We ate candy and cupcakes. I’m a lucky man!” the rocker added.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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