Gonna take a cruise?

[LoKyBuckeye]

LINK

Have a great cruise! See you if you return..

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Twenty-four people disappeared from cruise ships between 2003 and 2005 and 178 passengers reported being sexually assaulted, a congressional panel heard Tuesday.

Among those who disappeared were an elderly Vietnamese-American couple who fled their native land as "boat people" in 1975.

Hue Pham, 71 and his wife, Hue Tran, 67, fled Vietnam 30 years ago with five other family members, spending two weeks floating in the Pacific with little food or water, their son, Son Michael Pham told a House of Representatives subcommittee.

They eventually reached the United States and built a successful life. Last May, they disappeared during a Caribbean cruise. Pham said the crew waited over four hours after being alerted to the disappearances before notifying the U.S. Coast Guard and it took several more hours to mount a search, which found no trace of the couple.

"Two American citizens with no personal or financial problems, no serious health problems, living the happiest time of their lives, both vanished without a trace or witness," Pham told the subcommittee on national security, emerging threats and international relations.

Of the disappearances, 12 were deemed suicides, one an accidental fall overboard and the others were deemed "missing for unknown reasons," said Lawrence Kaye, a lawyer representing major cruise lines.

Almost half of the 178 reported sexual assaults were allegedly committed by other passengers, according to figures released by the International Council of Cruise Lines.

With over 31 million people taking cruises in the three years under review, only four robberies were reported, the council said. However Ohio Democrat Rep. Dennis Kucinich said he suspected the figures understated the true situation and that not all crimes were being reported.

Several other witnesses told the subcommittee of tragedies on cruises. Lynsey O'Brien, a 15 year-old girl, was served at least 10 alcoholic drinks at a cruise ship bar and fell overboard while leaning over a balcony to vomit.

Janet Kelly, a 49-year-old married woman, said she was drugged by a bartender and raped.

 

[tibor75]

I was just on a cruise last week. Now doubt most of you are relieved this fate did not befall 'ol Tibor.

 

[osustamm]

I know a lady named Hue Tran.

 

[Taosman]

Let's review.
Take cruise.
Get sick.
or
Get robbed.
or
Get sexually attacked.
or
Get thrown over board during robbery.
or
Get drunk and fall overboard.

 

[scarletandgrey]

Let's review.
Take cruise.
Get sick. To much booze...Ok
or
Get robbed. Hmmm not for me
or
Get sexually attacked. Sure why not
or
Get thrown over board during robbery. Again not for me
or
Get drunk and fall overboard. Can I get a floatation device?

2 1/2 out of 5. not bad I'm in

 

[ScriptOhio]

Check out the Columbus crime rate for 2004:
<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR bgColor=#e5edff><TD>Crime Type</TD><TD align=right></TD><TD align=right>2004 Total</TD><TD align=right>Per 100,000 People</TD><TD align=right>National per 100,000 People</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5edff><TD>Overall Columbus Crime Index</TD><TD align=middle>

</TD><TD align=right>62861</TD><TD align=right>8612.2</TD><TD align=right>3982.6</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffff><TD colSpan=5></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5edff><TD>Columbus Violent Crimes</TD><TD align=middle>

</TD><TD align=right>5925</TD><TD align=right>811.7</TD><TD align=right>465.5</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5edff><TD>Columbus Murders</TD><TD align=middle>

</TD><TD align=right>88</TD><TD align=right>12.1</TD><TD align=right>5.5</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5edff><TD>Columbus Rapes</TD><TD align=middle>

</TD><TD align=right>574</TD><TD align=right>78.6</TD><TD align=right>32.2</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5edff><TD>Columbus Robberies</TD><TD align=middle>

</TD><TD align=right>3353</TD><TD align=right>459.4</TD><TD align=right>136.7</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5edff><TD>Columbus Aggravated Assaults</TD><TD align=middle>

</TD><TD align=right>1910</TD><TD align=right>261.7</TD><TD align=right>291.1</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffff><TD colSpan=5></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5edff><TD>Columbus Property Crimes</TD><TD align=middle>

</TD><TD align=right>56936</TD><TD align=right>7800.4</TD><TD align=right>3517.1</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5edff><TD>Columbus Burglaries</TD><TD align=middle>

</TD><TD align=right>14695</TD><TD align=right>2013.3</TD><TD align=right>729.9</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5edff><TD>Columbus Larceny/Thefts</TD><TD align=middle>

</TD><TD align=right>33844</TD><TD align=right>4636.7</TD><TD align=right>2365.9</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#e5edff><TD>Columbus Motor Vehicle Thefts</TD><TD align=middle>

</TD><TD align=right>8397</TD><TD align=right>1150.4</TD><TD align=right>421.3</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffff><TD colSpan=5>http://columbusoh.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
The cruise ships don't do background checks on passengers for a criminal record and I doubt that they do much of a background check on their employees either. With 3000 to 4000 people an average ship in a relatively small area (and especially with most of the passengers drinking more than they are accustomed to) an occasional crime on a ship is probably inevitable. Their biggest problem (and the major complaint) is that when a crime does occur they do not do a good job of investigating it. Also, nobody is ever prosecuted as they don't want any bad publicity (i .e. they just try to cover it up). If the ship has any problem with an employee they just kick him/her off the ship at the next port and send him/her home.

However, I think you are definitely safer on a cruise ship than walking around in "certain areas" of Columbus (or any other major city for that matter). Like Tibor75 I was on a cruise ship last week, I felt safe 100% of the time, and I never had any problem (except eating too much and not using enough sun screen).

Re: Of the disappearances, 12 were deemed suicides, one an accidental fall overboard, and the others were deemed "missing for unknown reasons,"

In addition, this chart (above) doesn't even list the missing persons, accidental deaths, and/or suicides for Columbus.

 

[FCollinsBuckeye]

I know a lady named Hue Tran.

I know a guy named Hugh Jas

:p

 

[Thump]

I know a guy named Hugh Jas

:p

Is he related to Hugh Jascock?

 

[AJHawkfan]

I know a guy named Hugh Jas

:p

Wasn't he engaged to Amanda Hugginkizz before she left him for I.P. Freely? Or was that Mike Hunt?

 

[Thump]

Wasn't he engaged to Amanda Hugginkizz before she left him for I.P. Freely? Or was that Mike Hunt?

No, he was engaged to Bea Verchasen

 

[gbearbuck]

With the amount of drunk folks on the cruise ships I'm frankly surprised more folks don't fall overboard... heck of a good time, I wonder if this bad pub. will drop prices (I'd take another in a hearbeat, esp. if the price was right )...

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

I know a lady named Hue Tran.

Is she realted to Thump's distant Vietnamese cousin, Phat Phuk?

 

[scarletandgrey]

Is she realted to Thump's distant Vietnamese cousin, Phat Phuk?

I thought that was Hawg

 

[ScarletBlood31]

I'm going on a cruise for spring break.



I can't wait.

 

[Thump]

Is she realted to Thump's distant Vietnamese cousin, Phat Phuk?

I have to give you props for that one Mili!