Carnival ship sails past dying fishermen: Reports
By QMI Agency
A stranded fisherman said a Carnival Cruise-owned ship sailed past him and his two shipmates -- both of whom have since died -- but didn't stop to assist.
"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," sole survivor Adrian Vasquez, 18, told English news site Panama-Guide.com.
Their distress calls didn't go unseen either, according to three bird-watchers who spotted the Panamanian boat March 10 while aboard the Star Princess luxury liner.
When the cruise passengers spotted the three frantic fishermen, they immediately alerted cruise staff to notify the bridge.
Judy Meredith of Bend, Ore., thought the ship would help the stricken fishermen, but it carried on to Costa Rica.
"We all watched him for a bit and thought, 'This guy's in distress. He's trying to get our attention'," Meredith told NPR.
After nearly a month at sea, Vasquez said he was finally rescued by an Ecuadoran fishing boat.
His friends, Oropeces Betancourt, 24, died the night after they saw the cruise ship and Fernando Osario, 16, died five days later.
The bird-watchers took photos of the tiny fibreglass boat that had been adrift for more than a week until they spotted it.
Meredith said she contacted cruise line following the trip and they told her they were in communication with the stranded fishing boat, and the fishermen were waving at them to thank them for avoiding their nets.
According to maritime law, able vessels must assist those distressed at sea.
Carnival Cruise Lines owns Costa Concordia, which sank Jan. 13 after hitting a reef off the Italian coast.
Carnival ship sails past dying fishermen: Reports - World - Canoe.ca
Unreal. Where does Carnival Cruises get their captains from?
By QMI Agency
A stranded fisherman said a Carnival Cruise-owned ship sailed past him and his two shipmates -- both of whom have since died -- but didn't stop to assist.
"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," sole survivor Adrian Vasquez, 18, told English news site Panama-Guide.com.
Their distress calls didn't go unseen either, according to three bird-watchers who spotted the Panamanian boat March 10 while aboard the Star Princess luxury liner.
When the cruise passengers spotted the three frantic fishermen, they immediately alerted cruise staff to notify the bridge.
Judy Meredith of Bend, Ore., thought the ship would help the stricken fishermen, but it carried on to Costa Rica.
"We all watched him for a bit and thought, 'This guy's in distress. He's trying to get our attention'," Meredith told NPR.
After nearly a month at sea, Vasquez said he was finally rescued by an Ecuadoran fishing boat.
His friends, Oropeces Betancourt, 24, died the night after they saw the cruise ship and Fernando Osario, 16, died five days later.
The bird-watchers took photos of the tiny fibreglass boat that had been adrift for more than a week until they spotted it.
Meredith said she contacted cruise line following the trip and they told her they were in communication with the stranded fishing boat, and the fishermen were waving at them to thank them for avoiding their nets.
According to maritime law, able vessels must assist those distressed at sea.
Carnival Cruise Lines owns Costa Concordia, which sank Jan. 13 after hitting a reef off the Italian coast.
Carnival ship sails past dying fishermen: Reports - World - Canoe.ca
Unreal. Where does Carnival Cruises get their captains from?
