Majesty of the Seas Cruise Ship
The parents of a missing cruise ship worker filed suit against Miami-based Royal Caribbean, in yet another case calling into question the industry's safety practices.
The parents of a cruise ship worker who disappeared from Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas have filed a $10 million lawsuit accusing the Miami-based company of not doing enough to find their son.
Symon Dias, 29, was a cabin steward aboard Majesty of the Seas in March when he disappeared somewhere between the Bahamas and Key West. His body has not been found, and he is presumed dead.
His parents, Maria and Natividade Dias, say in a suit filed Monday in Miami-Dade Circuit Court that Royal Caribbean refused to stop the ship and return to the area where Dias is believed to have gone overboard. Instead, they say, Royal Caribbean posted black-and-white fliers with Dias' photograph and delayed notifying the U.S. Coast Guard.
Royal Caribbean said in a statement Tuesday it extends its sympathies to the Dias family but because of the lawsuit, it's ``somewhat limited in what we are permitted to comment on.''
The Dias lawsuit is one of at least three cases involving disappearances to be brought against cruise ship companies in the past two months. A fourth lawsuit is expected soon from the family of Connecticut honeymooner George Smith, who disappeared during a Royal Caribbean cruise in the Mediterranean last summer.
The lawsuits are putting a spotlight on cruise ship safety. U.S. lawmakers conducted hearings Tuesday focused on missing passenger cases and a recent pirate attack against a Carnival Corp. ship off the coast of Somalia.
At the hearings, members of Congress said the United States should require reporting of crimes on cruise ships. Connecticut Republican Christopher Shays said reporting is now complicated because U.S. laws may not apply on cruises that don't call in domestic ports.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has just 305 reports of crimes in the past five years aboard cruise ships, including 25 deaths, Assistant Director Chris Swecker said at the hearing. He said he had no way to confirm that all crimes were being disclosed and favored required reports.
However, Tennessee Republican John Duncan said such rules may not be needed, with an annual average of only 60 reported crimes on cruise ships for 10 million passengers.
Dias worked as a cabin steward for Royal Caribbean from April 2002 to March 16 of this year, the last day he was seen, according to the suit. His parents say they spoke with Dias on March 12 and he seemed happy. They suspect foul play.
Their Miami lawyer, Luis A. Perez, contends Royal Caribbean violated U.S. Maritime Law by not making an attempt at search and rescue once Dias was reported missing.
Royal Caribbean said it realized Dias was missing about 9 a.m. March 17 after he failed to report to duty. It then searched the ship. At 11:30 a.m., it contacted the Coast Guard, which conducted an air search.
Another lawsuit was filed last month against Royal Caribbean by the parents of a Massachusetts woman who disappeared during an Alaskan cruise in August 2004.
Marrian Lynn Carver was last seen in her cabin by a steward. The suit contends Royal Caribbean failed to investigate her disappearance and then covered it up.
Royal Caribbean said it contacted the FBI after her parents reported her missing and fired the steward's supervisor, who had been told of her ''infrequent cabin use'' but failed to take action. Royal Caribbean also said Carver suffered severe emotional problems and probably committed suicide.
The family of a missing Wisconsin woman also filed suit last month against Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines.
The suit says Carnival could have prevented the presumed death of Annette Mizener if security officers had been paying attention to a surveillance camera near the area where her belongings were found. Carnival said it has excellent security measures in place for its passengers.
Meanwhile, the Smith family argues Royal Caribbean failed to prevent their son's disappearance and then passed it off as an unfortunate accident. Royal Caribbean said it acted appropriately.
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