Video Shows Kimberly Burch Jumping From ’80s Cruise; Faster Pussycat Performances Canceled Onboard

A video shows Kimberly Burch jumping overboard from the ’80s Cruise, a source tells The Hollywood Reporter. Burch went overboard from the Royal Caribbean ship earlier this week, though it was unclear whether she fell or jumped. Security footage from the ship appears to show the latter.

The Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas is registered in the Bahamas, giving jurisdiction to the Nassau police who came aboard to review the case and subsequently cleared the woman’s fiancé, Faster Pussycat singer Taime Downe, of any wrongdoing. The band’s performances scheduled for Friday night have been removed from the cruise’s lineup.

According to a Facebook post by Riki Rachtman, a radio personality and the former host of MTV’s Headbangers Ball, who says he is in touch with Downe, “There is video of [Burch] committing suicide and Tamie was cleared of all charges.” Rachtman, who calls Downe his best friend, also spoke of their shared sobriety and criticized social media users who are suggesting they have some insight into what happened that night off the coast of the Bahamas.

Rachtman continued: “How’s Taime doing? Well how do you think he’s doing? The woman that he’s in love with, that he’s lived with for the past eight years, committed suicide in front of him. And I feel horrible for Kimberly … that she had been in so much pain that she had to commit suicide. I know to be fact that Taime did absolutely nothing wrong, but Taime is going to be scarred for the rest of his life.”

Downe, added Rachtman, “Doesn’t know what’s going on in the media.” (THR has reached out to Nassau police and Royal Caribbean for comment.)

Burch was onboard the cruise, a nostalgia tour featuring such musical acts as Squeeze, Adam Ant, Tiffany, Men at Work and Faster Pussycat, with Downe. Her mother, Carnell Burch, told TMZ that Burch fell off the ship following an argument with Downe, though it was unclear whether she accidentally went overboard or jumped. Burch’s mom previously said her daughter would not have intentionally hurt herself. Rachtman described Burch and Downe’s relationship as “very toxic.”

Sources previously told THR that the cruise continued after the incident, with the U.S. Coast Guard taking over the search operation.

The seven-day round-trip cruise sets off from Miami and stops at Nassau, San Juan and Puerto Plata.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental-health challenges, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.