JUNEAU, AK – A South African man working on a cruise ship was apprehended in Alaska on Tuesday amid allegations he attacked a woman and two security guards with scissors while aboard the vessel, officials report.
The individual now faces charges of assault with a dangerous weapon within the maritime and territorial jurisdiction, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. The accused, a 35-year-old man, does not yet appear to have legal representation, as per online court documentation.
The FBI’s Special Agent Matthew Judy’s affidavit describes the man as a recent hire for a cruise line, joining the crew of the Norwegian Encore in Seattle last Sunday. The ship embarked on a weeklong journey planned to include stops in Alaska cities, including Juneau, and British Columbia.
As the ship sailed towards Alaska, just west of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the apparent attack transpired late Sunday evening. Ship staff observed the man attempting to launch a lifeboat and subsequently escorted him to a medical center aboard the ship for evaluation.
According to the affidavit, the accused became restless and confrontational, attacking a guard and a nurse. He then fled to another room, where he used a pair of scissors to attack a woman undergoing an exam and two intervening security guards before being overpowered and sequestered in the ship’s jail. The injuries reported were not life-threatening.
Upon arrival in Juneau on Tuesday, the FBI arrested the man, as stated by the U.S. attorney’s office.