MIAMI, Fla. (WFLA) – Kimberly Burch, the fiancée of an ’80s rock star, has died after going overboard an ’80s-themed cruise hosted on a Royal Caribbean ship, according to multiple reports.
Her husband-to-be, Faster Pussycat singer Taime Downe, was among the musical acts slated to perform on the cruise, which departed from Miami on Sunday, March 2.
On Monday, the couple posted a selfie together, saying they had made it aboard the cruise. While the exact circumstances of her death remain unclear, Variety obtained a statement from Royal Caribbean Tuesday confirming that local authorities were still searching for Burch’s body. Sources who spoke with The Hollywood Reporter also said search operations were launched on Sunday night.
“Our crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort, is working with local authorities, and we are providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this difficult time,” a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean told Nexstar on Wednesday. “To respect the privacy of our guest’s family, we have no additional details to share.”
Burch’s family also shared the following post on Facebook Tuesday morning:
“It is with broken hearts that we share the sad news that Kimberly Burch has passed away. She was a beloved daughter, sister, sister-in-law and aunt. She will be greatly missed by all that knew and loved her. We ask for prayers during this time for our family as we try to wrap our minds around this heartbreaking tragedy. We love and miss you Kimberly Burch!!”
The U.S. Coast Guard reported that the incident happened just 20 miles from Freeport, Bahamas.
The cruise was scheduled to return to Florida on Sunday, March 9, and included a lineup filled with other ’80s artists such as Quiet Riot, The Alarm, From the Jam and FireHouse, as well as MTV personalities Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter and Downtown Julie Brown.
Faster Pussycat had performances set for Sunday and Tuesday night.
Downe formed the American glam metal band in 1985 with guitarists Greg Steele and Brent Muscat, as well as bassist Kelly Nickels. The band released four albums, including the popular “Wake Me When It’s Over” (1989), and toured with Mötley Crüe, KISS, and others.
No additional information was immediately available.