wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina |Man who died on Carnival cruise was from Lexington Co.

Man who died on Carnival cruise was from Lexington Co.

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Walt Bouknight (Source: MySpace.com) Walt Bouknight (Source: MySpace.com)

NASSAU, Bahamas (WIS) - Authorities in the Bahamas have identified a 26-year-old South Carolina man who died aboard a Carnival cruise ship as Walter Bouknight of Batesburg-Leesville.

The cruise was delayed pending the investigation, but returned to Charleston on Monday.

Bahamas police said in a statement Saturday that Bouknight, 26, apparently jumped from one floor to another aboard the Carnival Fantasy ship that had docked in Nassau late Friday. He was declared dead at the scene.

Click here to read Carnival's letter to passengers about the incident

Carnival issued a statement saying the guest apparently fell. They said the ship's visit to Freeport on Saturday was canceled as the investigation continued.  

Family and friends say Bouknight was a marine, full of life, and had a girlfriend he loved and adored. He had also recently been diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.

The ship departed Charleston on Wednesday for a 5-day Bahamas cruise. It returned to Charleston Monday.

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