A cruise ship worker from South Africa was arrested in Alaska's capital city, accused of attacking a woman and two security guards with scissors on board the vessel. The 35-year-old man is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon within maritime and territorial jurisdiction.
According to an affidavit from FBI Special Agent Matthew Judy, the man had recently been hired by a cruise line and joined the ship, the Norwegian Encore, in Seattle. The ship departed for a weeklong trip with scheduled stops in Alaska ports and British Columbia.
The alleged incident occurred west of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, as the ship was en route to Alaska. Ship personnel observed the man attempting to deploy a lifeboat during the late evening on Sunday. He was then taken by security to a medical center for evaluation.
While at the medical center, the man became irrational and attempted to leave. He physically attacked a guard and a nurse before grabbing a pair of scissors and stabbing a woman who was being examined, as well as two guards who tried to intervene. He was eventually subdued and held in a shipboard jail. Fortunately, none of the injuries were considered life-threatening.
The ship arrived in Juneau on Tuesday, where the man was arrested by the FBI. Online court records do not show an attorney representing him at this time.
