THE fiancée of Faster Pussycat’s lead singer, Taime Downe, has died after falling overboard during an 80s-themed cruise.
Kimberly Burch, 56, was on the Royal Caribbean cruise off the Bahamas with Downe when the tragic plunge took place.
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Her body has not been recovered, and the circumstances surrounding her fall remain unclear.
She had been accompanying Downe and Faster Pussycat on the seven-day cruise, where the band was a featured act alongside Squeeze, Adam Ant, Tiffany, and Men at Work.
Hours before her fall, Burch shared a photo with Downe, 60, on board, captioning it: “We made it to @the80scruise.”
Burch’s mother told TMZ she does not believe her daughter would have intentionally hurt herself and claimed the couple had allegedly been arguing.
She also noted that Burch had been drinking on the trip, which she said was out of character.
“She was excited about the trip,” she added.
A Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson told Metro: “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.
“To respect the privacy of our guest’s family, we have no additional details to share.”
The US Coast Guard told TMZ that the tragedy happened about 20 miles off the coast of Freeport, Bahamas.
The cruise set sail from Miami on February 27 and is scheduled to return on March 6.
A helicopter crew was deployed to assist the Royal Bahamas Defense Force in their search, but efforts were later suspended.
Burch’s family is now trying to recover her body.
A statement posted to Facebook read: “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!!”
Burch’s sister-in-law, Kellie, told MailOnline the family has not spoken to Downe since he called Burch’s mother to inform her of the tragedy.
“We just want to know what happened,” she said. “We just want answers.”
She paid tribute to Burch, saying: “She was the life of the party and the light of the room.
“I last heard from her about a week ago […] she was looking forward to the trip.
“We are doing as well as we possibly can be while we wait.”
Burch and Downe had been together for around six years.
Downe has been the lead vocalist of Faster Pussycat since its formation in 1985.
The glam metal band — originally consisting of Downe, Greg Steele, Brent Muscat, and Kelly Nickels — rose to fame in the late 1980s, selling over two million records worldwide.
They released four studio albums: Faster Pussycat (1987), Wake Me When It’s Over (1989), Whipped! (1992), and The Power and the Glory Hole (2006).
The band split in 1993 but reunited in 2001 with Downe as the only original member.
Former drummer Brett Bradshaw passed away in 2021 at the age of 50.
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