Two Dead After Captain Of Cruise Ship Ignored Their Boat Adrift At Sea

April 19, 2012 at 2:11 pm by kniption  

Santa Clarita, CA - Princess Cruises is conducting an ‘internal investigation’ after claims that the captain of one of its ships ignored a passenger’s report of a distress signal from a small fishing vessel. Two of the three people on board that drifting vessel would later die of dehydration.

On Feb 24, Adrian “Santi” Vasquez, 18, set out on a fishing trip with two 16-year-old friends – Oropeces Betancourt and Fernando Osario. After they were at sea, they discovered that the outboard motor on their small fishing vessel – “The Fifty Cent” – would no longer start and they were adrift in the middle of the ocean.

The three men drifted at sea for more than two weeks before they spotted the passing Star Princess cruise ship and started signaling for a help.

On board the Star Princess three passengers were bird watching. Judy Meredith, Jeff Gilligan, and Jim Dowdall were using their spotting scopes and telescopic cameras, so they had a good view of the fishing boat in the distance.…