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| Carnival cruise ship 'communications breakdown' left fishing boat drifting | |
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| The British captain of a cruise ship that failed to rescue three stricken Panamanian fishermen is said to be devastated by accusations that he ignored calls for their rescue. | The British captain of a cruise ship that failed to rescue three stricken Panamanian fishermen is said to be devastated by accusations that he ignored calls for their rescue. |
| Two of the three men on the drifting fishing boat later died of dehydration – one within hours of Star Princess passengers attempting to raise the alarm after spotting the lost boat. Princess Cruises, the operator of the ship, blamed a "breakdown in communications" for the tragedy. | Two of the three men on the drifting fishing boat later died of dehydration – one within hours of Star Princess passengers attempting to raise the alarm after spotting the lost boat. Princess Cruises, the operator of the ship, blamed a "breakdown in communications" for the tragedy. |
| The cruise line, which is owned by Carnival, the same corporation behind the operators of the Costa Concordia which sank this year, said investigations were still trying to establish the exact circumstances of the incident. However, Princess cruises said passengers' reports that they had spotted a boat in distress never made it to Captain Edward Perrin or the officer on duty. | The cruise line, which is owned by Carnival, the same corporation behind the operators of the Costa Concordia which sank this year, said investigations were still trying to establish the exact circumstances of the incident. However, Princess cruises said passengers' reports that they had spotted a boat in distress never made it to Captain Edward Perrin or the officer on duty. |
| "Princess Cruises deeply regrets that two Panamanian men perished at sea after their boat became disabled in early March," a statement said. | "Princess Cruises deeply regrets that two Panamanian men perished at sea after their boat became disabled in early March," a statement said. |
| "We all understand that it is our responsibility and also the law of the sea to provide assistance to any vessel in distress, and it is not an uncommon occurrence for our ships to be involved in a rescue at sea. In fact, we have done so more than 30 times in the last 10 years. We deeply regret this incident and are continuing our investigation to fully understand the circumstances." | "We all understand that it is our responsibility and also the law of the sea to provide assistance to any vessel in distress, and it is not an uncommon occurrence for our ships to be involved in a rescue at sea. In fact, we have done so more than 30 times in the last 10 years. We deeply regret this incident and are continuing our investigation to fully understand the circumstances." |
| The story of Adrian Vasquez, the 18-year-old hotel worker who survived for 28 days adrift in the Pacific Ocean, was a global news story after his rescue near the Galapagos Islands. | The story of Adrian Vasquez, the 18-year-old hotel worker who survived for 28 days adrift in the Pacific Ocean, was a global news story after his rescue near the Galapagos Islands. |
| But it emerged that the fishing boat, the Fifty Cents, had been spotted on 10 March by three birdwatchers on the Star Princess, but it failed to stop. Later the same night, Oropeces Betancourt, 24, died of dehydration. The youngest fisherman, Fernando Osorio, 16, died on 15 March, suffering from dehydration, sunburn and heat stroke. | But it emerged that the fishing boat, the Fifty Cents, had been spotted on 10 March by three birdwatchers on the Star Princess, but it failed to stop. Later the same night, Oropeces Betancourt, 24, died of dehydration. The youngest fisherman, Fernando Osorio, 16, died on 15 March, suffering from dehydration, sunburn and heat stroke. |
| Judy Meredith, 65, from Bend, Oregon, said she contacted a crew member, who told her he was relaying her concerns to the bridge. She said it was horrific that two of the men died and "both could have lived, had the cruise ship responded to our urgent request". | Judy Meredith, 65, from Bend, Oregon, said she contacted a crew member, who told her he was relaying her concerns to the bridge. She said it was horrific that two of the men died and "both could have lived, had the cruise ship responded to our urgent request". |
| Don Winner, a Panama-based, English-language blogger later tracked down Vasquez, who confirmed that he and his friends had seen the cruise ship and had signalled frantically. He also confirmed that a picture taken by the cruise passengers was of his boat. | Don Winner, a Panama-based, English-language blogger later tracked down Vasquez, who confirmed that he and his friends had seen the cruise ship and had signalled frantically. He also confirmed that a picture taken by the cruise passengers was of his boat. |
| Jeff Gilligan, 61, from Portland, Oregon, who was travelling with Meredith, said a member of the crew had looked through their binoculars at the boat. "He said he could see what we were describing. We suggested that the people from the bridge came down and looked. He said they had binoculars … We were convinced the bridge knew what was happening and thought maybe it took a while to turn around. But after a while we realised it wasn't turning. But we told ourselves that this cruise ship would have radioed coastguards." | Jeff Gilligan, 61, from Portland, Oregon, who was travelling with Meredith, said a member of the crew had looked through their binoculars at the boat. "He said he could see what we were describing. We suggested that the people from the bridge came down and looked. He said they had binoculars … We were convinced the bridge knew what was happening and thought maybe it took a while to turn around. But after a while we realised it wasn't turning. But we told ourselves that this cruise ship would have radioed coastguards." |
| Jim Dowdall, 54, from Ireland, the third birdwatcher, said: "We had seen lots of small fishing vessels since the start of the cruise in Valparaios – but this was different. It looked wrong, and the way they were waving … I guess the lack of interest shown by the crew was a bit disconcerting. | Jim Dowdall, 54, from Ireland, the third birdwatcher, said: "We had seen lots of small fishing vessels since the start of the cruise in Valparaios – but this was different. It looked wrong, and the way they were waving … I guess the lack of interest shown by the crew was a bit disconcerting. |
| "We thought we had done whatever we could. We just weren't comfortable but there wasn't much else we could do – we'd alerted the bridge, tried to email the coastguard." | "We thought we had done whatever we could. We just weren't comfortable but there wasn't much else we could do – we'd alerted the bridge, tried to email the coastguard." |
| When he heard the news, he said: "I was gobsmacked. When I saw about the rescue I knew instinctively it was the same boat. Now I've seen all the photos it's clear enough it's the same boat." | When he heard the news, he said: "I was gobsmacked. When I saw about the rescue I knew instinctively it was the same boat. Now I've seen all the photos it's clear enough it's the same boat." |
| In a separate incident underlining that cruise ships do habitually assist stricken vessels, passengers on board the Oasis of the Seas witnessed their liner go to the aid of a broken-down fishing boat near the Cayman Islands on Wednesday. | In a separate incident underlining that cruise ships do habitually assist stricken vessels, passengers on board the Oasis of the Seas witnessed their liner go to the aid of a broken-down fishing boat near the Cayman Islands on Wednesday. |
| According to an eyewitness report on the cruise review website cruisecritic.co.uk, the captain of the Royal Caribbean ship announced to passengers who lined the decks to watch: "That's what we do at sea". | According to an eyewitness report on the cruise review website cruisecritic.co.uk, the captain of the Royal Caribbean ship announced to passengers who lined the decks to watch: "That's what we do at sea". |