Family horrified by gruesome death on cruise ship

Mary Bowerman | USA TODAY Network

WARNING: Article contains graphic photo at end.

A Florida couple witnessed the gruesome aftermath of a crew member’s death on board a Carnival cruise ship earlier this week.

Around 6:15 p.m. ET Dec. 27, a cruise ship worker was killed while working on an elevator on board the Carnival Ecstasy, according to Carnival spokeswoman Jayme Eglin.

Miami-Dade police identified the victim as Jose Sandoval Opazo, 66, who worked as an electrician on board the ship, reported WFTX-TV, Fort Myers-Naples, Fla.

Matt Davis of Fort Myers, Fla., said he and his family boarded the ship Christmas Day in Miami. On Sunday evening, they were on their way to dinner when they saw blood streaming down the doors of an elevator.

"To look and see the elevator with just blood coming down like a sheet and not stopping, ... it was a real life scene of The Shining," Davis told WFTX.

Davis captured video of the elevator doors struggling to close.

He said crew members tried to usher passengers away from the doors following the incident, and 45 minutes later the elevator was sectioned off.

"Somebody was inside or behind that wall when the elevator came down, and I don't know what happened, but something terrifying happened," Davis told WFTX.

Carnival is providing support to those affected, according to Eglin.

“Full investigation into the cause of the accident is under way,” Elgin said.

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WARNING: Article contains graphic photo below.

Matt Davis of Fort Meyers, Fla., said he and his family boarded the Carnival Ecstasy on Christmas Day in Miami. They were on their way to dinner when they saw blood streaming down the doors of an elevator. (Photo: Screenshot, WFTX-TV, Fort Myers-Naples, Fla.)