Disgraceful Maritime Conduct

Cruises are just so immensely popular with people who look forward to getting away from all that's familiar to them, hoping to experience something far different than what their normal lifestyle accustoms them to.  Boredom is a drag on the human psyche, whereas experiencing events that are out of the ordinary has a way of exciting and enthusing people, renewing them, resuscitating their interests in life.

There are a number of passengers who disembarked from the cruise they were on several months ago who experienced an event they would far prefer hadn't occurred, particularly with them as witnesses.  A handful of passengers on the Star Princess, travelling from Ecuador to Costa Rica, doubtless a memorable excursion on its own, spotted upon the waters of the Pacific something quite different.

It appeared to be a small vessel, with a few people on board.  "I saw a young man in the front of the boat waving his shirt up and down. Big motions, up over his head and down to the floor, waving it vigorously. Frantically I would say", explained Judy Meredith of Bend, Oregon, to her hosts on Good Morning America.

"That signal told me that they were in trouble.  They were trying everything they could to get our attention.  We expected the ship to turn back or stop or something", Ms. Meredith continued, over National Public Radio.  She and two other passengers on the Carnival-owned cruise ship had been bird-watching, using high-powered binoculars which enabled them, with telephoto lenses, to hone in close to the object of their attention.

"It was a really big, white ship.  I was waving a red T-shirt, and Fernando was waving a bright orange life jacket over his head.  For a minute it looked like they were going to turn to come for us, but then they just went on their way", later explained 18-year-old Adrian Vasquez, a hotel worker.  He had persuaded two friends, Oropeces Betancourt and Fernando Osario to accompany him on a fishing trip from Rio Hato, Panama.

But the outboard motor conked out, and their boat, The Fifty Cents, began to drift.  They were helpless and it was two weeks later that they spotted the liner on March 10th, and the three bird-watching passengers on the liner spotted them.  Ms. Meredith took the trouble of writing down the ship's co-ordinates, emailing a distress message to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The cruise ship she was on sailed on.  Even though she and the other two people had alerted a crew member, and the bridge.  She took it on trust that the captain was doing something useful, perhaps contacting authorities, because it became abundantly clear he had no intention of stopping his ship and attempting a rescue of the three stranded fishermen.

That night, Mr. Betancourt, 24, died of dehydration.  And Mr. Osorio, sixteen years old, died on March 15, as a result of sunburn, heat stroke and dehydration.  Nine days later Mr. Vasquez was finally rescued by an Ecuadoran fishing boat near the Galapagos islands, a thousand kilometres from where he and his two friends had set off for a day's fishing expedition.

"We're aware of the allegations that Star Princess supposedly passed by a boat in distress that was carrying three Panamanian fishermen on March 10, 2012.  At this time we cannot verify the facts as reported, and we are currently conducting an internal investigation on the matter."  Princess Cruises statement.

 There is a universally recognized code of conduct relating to maritime ethics and rescue.  No ship nor ship's captain should ignore the plight of anyone on the high seas requiring intervention to secure their safety.  The mission state of the Canadian federal Search and Rescue group fairly well reflects international standards:

To save and protect lives in the maritime environment
To fulfill our mission, our objectives are to:

• Save 100% of lives at risk.
• Reduce the number and severity of SAR incidents.
• Minimize loss of life, injury, property damage and risk to the environment.
• Support and involve the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary.
• Maintain the highest professional standards.
• Provide national leadership and effective SAR Program management.
• Provide international SAR leadership.
• Maximize SAR system efficiency through innovation.
• Promote volunteerism.
• Increase awareness of the SAR Program.
• Assist in the development of the National SAR Program.
• Foster co-operative SAR agreements.
• Provide humanitarian aid and civil assistance where possible.

These objectives will help us provide an effective SAR service for all those at risk in the maritime environment in Canada.