Today in "hold m'ah beer 'n' watch *this*" news - drunk, cruise ship, anchor

[underpants]

Intoxicated passenger drops cruise ship anchor

(CNN) -- A Holland America cruise ship was disrupted early Saturday morning by an intoxicated passenger who released the ship's anchor, according to an affidavit obtained by The Smoking Gun website.

California resident Rick Ehlert, 44, released the anchor and a life buoy between 5:25 a.m. and 5:55 a.m., according to the affidavit.

The MS Ryndam was unharmed, but the release of the anchor could have caused "significant damage to the ship's rudder or propeller, which could disable the ship's ability to maneuver, or puncturing of the ship, which could result in sinking or severe flooding," according to the affidavit.

Ehlert confessed to dropping the ship's anchor when questioned by special agents from the FBI. He admitted to being intoxicated at the time and detailed the multiple steps he took in deploying the anchor, including entering an area marked as off-limits to passengers.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/11/30/passenger.drops.cruise.anchor/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn

[Earth_First]

1. D'oh!

"Sounded like a good idea at the time"

[XemaSab]

2. .

:golfclap:

[drm604]

3. Shouldn't an area like that be locked or guarded?

:shrug:

[Bobbieo]

4. Where is theTSA at moments like this?

[tularetom]

5. It is secured on most cruise ships but not guarded as far as I know.

The anchor is visible from what they call the "promenade deck" which comprises a walkway all the way around the perimeter of the ship. The anchors and the winches used to raise and lower them are kept in a cage which is accessed from the promenade deck. The cage is heavy wire mesh, similar to but a bit sturdier than a cyclone fence.

Once somebody accessed the cage, I suppose it would be a simple matter to reach and operate the controls for the hoists.

Of course cruise ships are like a lot of other public areas these days. There are cameras friggin everywhere and I have to believe that this guys image showed up on a bank of monitors in the ship's security offices but was missed by whoever was supposed to be watching.

[monmouth]

6. Incompetence is everywhere!...n/t

[thunder rising]

7. Excluding the drunk guy, he did pretty good.

[Blue_Tires]

8. someone's gonna get fired for falling asleep at the security monitor...

I imagine this wasn't a stunt even a sober man could pull off in just a couple of minutes...

[Canuckistanian]

9. Sounds like a "take charge" kind of guy

Somebody should hire him for the TSA leadership.