Cruise Ship Employee Takes Own Life After Being Denied Leave
(PatriotWise.com) – Earlier this month, a Brazilian Royal Caribbean crew member took his own life not long after the “Wonder of the Seas” cruise ship set sail from Port Canaveral in Florida on its way to the Caribbean.
According to a source, the galley steward committed suicide after leaving a note and posting a video on social media.
Crew Center reported that the steward had previously requested some time off to deal with personal issues at home, but his request was denied.
In a statement, Royal Caribbean confirmed the death of the crew member and expressed its sympathies for the steward’s family and friends. Royal Caribbean said it was offering support and assistance to the crew of the “Wonder of the Seas” and said it would not provide any further information “out of respect.”
Crew Center reported that the steward’s suicide is more proof that “mental health professionals” should be included aboard cruise ships to “provide direct support 24/7 for crew members.”
Despite around 25 crew members going overboard on Royal Caribbean cruise ships in the last 13 years, the company does not employ mental health professionals.
In May 2020, a 27-year-old Polish crew member disappeared from the “Jewel of the Seas” as it was sailing near the coast of Greece. The ship’s closed-circuit TV captured him jumping from the ship.
In April 2021, a crew member from Royal Caribbean’s “Odyssey of the Seas” went overboard as the ship was sailing south of Cyprus.
Cruise Law News, a website run by maritime lawyer Jim Walker, said most of the crew members who have “disappeared mysteriously” aboard cruise ships reportedly intentionally took their own lives.
Between 200 and 2019, there were 623 deaths aboard cruise ships, 89 percent of them were passenger deaths, according to a November 2020 study in the International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health. Of the deaths reported among crew members, suicide and murder accounted for 29 percent.
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