Christy and Larry HammerFollowing the death of Christy and Larry Hammer who perished in 2016 aboard the La Estrella Amazonica (subsequently renamed as the Amazon Star) operated on the Peruvian Amazon by International Expeditions, the Hammers’ daughters have steadfastly sought answers and justice.

The sisters have found some of the former but not much of the latter. They told the Kansas City Star that they  "will do whatever we have to do to hold these guys accountable."

The Hammers were asleep in their cabin on the luxury cruise boat on the Amazon river, when a fire broke out in their cabin. International Expeditions, the owner / operator of the river cruise vessel, ignored basic safety regulations and procedures, according to an investigation conducted by the Peruvian Navy. The investigation reportedly revealed that that the deadly fire was caused by a short circuit in a power strip which International Expeditions provided to the Hammers to be used in their cabins.

Jill Malott and Kelly Lankford have stated that International Expeditions "systematically tried to road block us trying to find out answers."

Surveillance video from the boat posted by the sisters shows smoke billowing from their parents’ cabin as ill trained crew members walk up and down the hallway, delaying entry into the cabin. The boat was reportedly not equipped with a functioning alarm or fire suppression system. 

The sisters have teamed up with the grass roots cruise victims’ group International Cruise Victims (ICV) to adddress deficiences in the way that U.S. based cruise companies operate. 

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Read: How International Expeditions Tragically Failed My Family by Jill Hammer Malott.

Photo credit: Photo of Larry and Christy Hammer – Jill Hammer Malott and Kelly Hammer Lankford via ICV website. 

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