FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – New information has come to light regarding the tragic death of a young sportsman from Florida who jumped from the 11th deck of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship during a heated exchange with his father. Broward County police have identified the deceased as 20-year-old Levion Parker from North Port, Florida. The search for Parker was called off by the U.S Coast Guard in the waters surrounding the Bahamas.
The incident occurred on the cruise ship Liberty of the Seas, which was nearing the end of a four-day voyage and was hours away from returning to Fort Lauderdale. According to reports, Parker’s father, Francel Parker, confronted his sons, Levion and 18-year-old Seth, as they exited a hot tub around 3:30 a.m. Fellow passenger Bryan Sims recounted that the father was reprimanding Levion for his intoxication. In response, Levion declared, “I’ll fix this right now,” and proceeded to jump out a nearby window.
Levion Parker, a former high school football player and popular sportsman, plunged nearly 200 feet from the 11th deck of the 15-deck ship, which was approximately 57 miles off Grand Inagua at the time. The ship was ordered to halt. The circumstances surrounding Levion’s alleged intoxication remain unclear, as the minimum drinking age on Royal Caribbean ships departing from North America or the Caribbean is 21.
Sims described Levion and his brother as being in good spirits in the hot tub just moments before the incident. He had spent time with them, discussing various topics, including Levion’s work on yachts and other boats in Florida. The family was on board as guests of Tropic Supply, a wholesaler that had invited several contractors to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
The ship was brought to a standstill, and the crew immediately began searching for Levion. Most passengers learned of the tragedy the next morning when the captain made an announcement. The US Coast Guard cutter Seneca arrived on the scene, and the search was eventually called off.
The Parker family was reportedly staying on deck 10, just below the whirlpools and hot tubs of deck 11. A neighbor described Levion as quiet and polite, contradicting media portrayals of him as a “raging alcoholic.” According to cruisejunkie.com, over 400 passengers have fallen overboard from cruise ships in the past three decades, with only 28% surviving the fall between 2009 and 2019.
The family is currently seeking legal counsel and plans to issue a statement. A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean stated that a search and rescue effort was immediately launched alongside the US Coast Guard, and support is being provided to the family