Bill would require criminal reports from cruise ships

Jun 30, 2006 10:45 AM

Cruise ships would have to notify the Department of Homeland Security within four hours after learning of a possible crime at sea or missing person, under federal legislation proposed last week.
The public also would gain access to information about suspected crimes reported to authorities through quarterly crime reports that would be posted on a Web site, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.
The bill emerged from congressional hearings held by Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), whose constituent, George Smith IV, vanished in mysterious circumstances from a Royal Caribbean International ship last July.
"After George Smith's disappearance, we began to take a closer look at the cruise ship industry and what we saw were repeat cases of criminal activity in an industry that is basically self-regulated," Shays said at a media briefing.
The cruise industry, through its Washington, D.C.-based trade organization, is studying the bill, the International Council of Cruise Lines said in a statement. But the group's president, Michael Crye, said that under the industry's interpretation of several U.S. laws, cruise lines are already required to report unlawful acts to U.S. authorities if they involve American citizens.
Shays' bill would go beyond what the cruise lines report to the FBI by adding the disappearance of passengers to the list of reportable incidents. Relatives of passengers gone missing from cruise ships say it takes too long for lines to begin searches.
In addition, Shays' proposal includes requiring cruise lines that have ships that dock in the United States to also report incidents that involve foreign passengers or crew or that happen outside U.S. waters.
The bill would require the Department of Homeland Security to certify that any cruise ship using a U.S. port have adequate equipment and trained personnel to investigate crimes.
The act would also require cruise lines to refer potential customers to the Internet site where crime statistics are reported, and to provide the location of the U.S. consulate or embassy in each country on a ship's itinerary.
The bill, titled the Cruise Line Accurate Safety Statistics Act, would impose a fine of $250,000 for failure to meet its provisions. A ship could also be denied entry to an American port if the line breaks the law or ignores the fine.

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