Cruise Ship Passenger Sexually Assaulted by Nurse on Board—Police

• A passenger was allegedly sexually assaulted by a male nurse on a cruise ship that ported in Nassau, Bahamas, on Tuesday, according to reports.
• It reportedly occurred when the 43-year-old woman visited the ship's infirmary seeking medical attention early that morning.
• Police responded and arrested a 34-year-old man.

An American cruise ship passenger who sought medical attention was allegedly sexually assaulted by a nurse, police have said.

Police in the Bahamas said a 43-year-old woman, of Cleveland, Ohio, visited the ship's infirmary at around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, according to a local news report.

She was administered a dose of medication by a male nurse, who allegedly sexually assaulted her moments later, police reported. Law enforcement was called and a 34-year-old man arrested.

The report did not identify the suspect or the cruise ship in question.

The alleged incident took place on a ship that ported in Nassau, Bahamas, on Tuesday, according to Cruise Law News, which is run by maritime lawyer Jim Walker.

Cruise Law News reported that at least four ships stopped in Nassau on Tuesday: the Carnival Sunshine, the Carnival Liberty, Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, and MSC Seascape.

Newsweek has contacted Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises for comment via email.

Certain crimes that occur on cruise ships that embark and disembark in the U.S. are required to be reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act.

According to a database maintained by the Department of Transportation, 87 alleged sexual assaults were reported on cruise ships last year.

The data shows they include 31 reported sexual assaults on cruise ships operated by Carnival, 22 on Royal Caribbean and four on MSC ships.

In October last year, a 51-year-old man was arrested after allegedly kissing a 5-year-old girl on a Carnival cruise ship. He was charged with lewd and lascivious conduct after the ship returned to Miami.

The man was banned from traveling on Carnival cruise ships, a spokesperson of the cruise line told Newsweek at the time.

Just weeks prior, police in Massachusetts launched an investigation into a report of a sexual assault on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship.

The alleged assault took place previously while the Norwegian Breakaway was traveling between Providence and Boston, Dave Procopio, a spokesperson for the state police, said at the time.

The alleged victim and suspect are both ship employees, according to Procopio.