The Mail Online in the U.K. reports tonight that a crewmember who worked aboard two of the world’s most luxurious cruise ships is being investigated by police on suspicions that he sexually assaulted children during the cruises.
The newspaper reports that the Cunard crew member who allegedly carried out his indecent conduct worked for Cunard for over five years on Cunard’s flagship, the Queen Mary 2, and its sister cruise ship, the Queen Elizabeth.
Detectives in England started the investigation after a parent of one of the abused children tipped the police. So far, the detectives have interviewed several families in England. The crewmember suspected of the crimes lives in Wiltshire, in England.
These Cunard cruise ships carried passengers of course from many other countries, including the U.S.
According to this account, the crewmember left Cunard’s employment before the police probe began six months ago but has been interviewed by detectives in Wiltshire. The detectives have apparently examined photographic and computer equipment at the man’s home.
The UK newspaper indicates that Cunard refuses to identify the job position of the the former crew member, "but he is known to have been a low-ranking employee who had regular, close contact with passengers on board." Based on this description, its sounds like the alleged child predator probably worked as a cabin attendant or a youth counselor.
Sexual molestation of children on cruises is an ugly topic we have written about many times before. You can read more cases than you want to know about little kids being sexually abused on cruises here.
These two Cunard cruise ships are part of the larger Carnival fleet of cruise ships. Carnival owns Cunard. This is the last thing that Carnival wants to be in the press at this time, as it is reeling from the bad publicity after another one of the cruise brand it owns, Costa Cruises, ran a $500,000,000 cruise ship into the rocks and killed around 30 of its guests.
A reckless captain who abandons ship while passengers are drowning in the submerged cabins of the Costa Concordia? A child predator who worked aboard the Cunard QM2 and Queen Elizabeth for 5 years?
What’s the next shoe to drop in the Carnival fleet?
February 16, 2012 Update: Did Cunard Child Supervisor Molest Other Children During Cruises?