While the U.S. Congress addressed the safety of the foreign flagged cruise industry today in Washington D.C., a passenger disappeared from a cruise ship sailing between the Bahamas and Florida.
ABC News reports this evening that a Canadian woman in her 40’s disappeared during a Celebration line cruise aboard the Bahamas Celebration between the Grand Bahama island and Florida. The woman was reported missing by her boyfriend at 8 AM this morning. He told the police and FBI that he last saw his girlfriend at the cruise ship’s gift shop before heading to the casino at around 1 AM and then retiring to their cabin to sleep
After the cruise ship docked at the Port of Palm Beach at 7 AM, he awoke and and searched the ship but could not find her. At around 8 AM, the ship’s crew and Coast Guard searched the cruise without success.
According to ABC, the Coast Guard believes the woman was on the ship when it left Freeport at around 8 PM Tuesday night, because every passenger must swipe a card to get on the cruise ship.
The issue of cruise passengers and crew who "disappear" during cruises is a problem which the cruise industry has failed to adequately address.
Australia’s popular television program Dateline aired a cruise special today about missing passengers & crewmembers and crime at sea.
Well over 150 passengers and crew have disappeared from cruise ships over the last decade.
The cruise industry claims that it has an "incredibly safe" record.
If you have information about this disappearance, please leave a comment below.
Update: The passenger has been identified as Fariba Amani from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.