JUNEAU, AK – A 35-year-old man working on a cruise ship was detained by authorities in Alaska’s capital on Tuesday under allegations of initiating an attack on a woman and two security guards utilizing a pair of scissors aboard the same ship.
The U.S. attorney’s office has placed charges against the individual, who hails from South Africa, of assault with a dangerous weapon within the boundaries of maritime and territorial jurisdiction. Court records available online do not reveal any legal representation for the accused.
According to an FBI affidavit by Special Agent Matthew Judy, the man was a recent recruit by the cruise line. He had joined the ship, named the Norwegian Encore, in Seattle, setting sail on a weeklong voyage last Sunday. The cruise’s itinerary included stops at various Alaskan locations, such as Juneau and several ports in British Columbia.
The affidavit states that the incident occurred while the ship was west of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, en route towards Alaska. The man was caught trying to activate a lifeboat late on Sunday evening and was, therefore, taken to the ship’s medical center for an assessment.
Reportedly, at the medical center, he launched an attack on a guard and a nurse. He then grabbed scissors from another room and assaulted a woman there for a checkup and two security guards who tried to stop him. He was finally subdued and placed in a ship jail. All injuries reported were not life-threatening.
Upon docking in Juneau on Tuesday, the FBI arrested the man, as stated by the U.S. attorney’s office.