Officials: Man jumped from cruise ship
By Andrew Marra, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
David Pincus boarded the Palm Beach Princess on a cool and breezy Monday night with several hundred other passengers set for the five-hour cruise. But at some point amid the dining and gambling, officials say he slipped unnoticed into the choppy Atlantic waters.
His brother and sister-in-law last saw him at dinner, officials said. When they couldn't find him again, crew members combed the ship. A little after 10 p.m., the Princess alerted the Coast Guard.
Pincus' disappearance launched a search-and-rescue mission that stretched on until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, when it was called off by the Coast Guard.
Police combed local beaches, and the Princess itself took part briefly in the grim search on the waters, delaying its passengers' return by two hours.
Pincus, 39, of Milton, Mass., was feared dead in the rough seas.
Fran Murray, president of the company that operates the Palm Beach Princess, said crew members interviewed Pincus' brother and his brother's wife, and concluded he intended to jump from the boat. He would not elaborate.
"It would have to be intentional," Murray said. "The vessel conforms to the highest safety standards."
A railing stretches around the cruise ship's decks. Coast Guard officials, however, said they had no indication that Pincus' disappearance from the ship was a suicide attempt.
Coast Guard boats and helicopters scoured the waters all night Monday and all day Tuesday, focusing on a 10-mile stretch up and down the coast about three miles east of the Lake Worth Inlet, Petty Officer Anastasia Burns said.
The search efforts were initially frustrated by 6- to 8-foot waves, which made visibility poor and forced one small Coast Guard boat to turn back early Tuesday morning, Petty Officer Ryan Doss said.
The Princess, which offers five-hour lunch and dinner casino cruises, had disembarked from the Port of Palm Beach at 6:30 p.m. It was set to return by 11:45 p.m., Murray said, but when the Princess became involved in the search, it remained out at sea until about 1:45 a.m.
Brian Butler, a 21-year-old valet who went out to gamble with a group of friends Monday, said the ship's crew told passengers little more than that a passenger was missing.
With little information, many grew annoyed at being kept out to sea until nearly 2 a.m., he said.
"Customers were mad, everyone was tired," Butler said. "People were lying down. It was just a long night."
andrew_marra@pbpost.com
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By Andrew Marra, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
David Pincus boarded the Palm Beach Princess on a cool and breezy Monday night with several hundred other passengers set for the five-hour cruise. But at some point amid the dining and gambling, officials say he slipped unnoticed into the choppy Atlantic waters.
His brother and sister-in-law last saw him at dinner, officials said. When they couldn't find him again, crew members combed the ship. A little after 10 p.m., the Princess alerted the Coast Guard.
Pincus' disappearance launched a search-and-rescue mission that stretched on until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, when it was called off by the Coast Guard.
Police combed local beaches, and the Princess itself took part briefly in the grim search on the waters, delaying its passengers' return by two hours.
Pincus, 39, of Milton, Mass., was feared dead in the rough seas.
Fran Murray, president of the company that operates the Palm Beach Princess, said crew members interviewed Pincus' brother and his brother's wife, and concluded he intended to jump from the boat. He would not elaborate.
"It would have to be intentional," Murray said. "The vessel conforms to the highest safety standards."
A railing stretches around the cruise ship's decks. Coast Guard officials, however, said they had no indication that Pincus' disappearance from the ship was a suicide attempt.
Coast Guard boats and helicopters scoured the waters all night Monday and all day Tuesday, focusing on a 10-mile stretch up and down the coast about three miles east of the Lake Worth Inlet, Petty Officer Anastasia Burns said.
The search efforts were initially frustrated by 6- to 8-foot waves, which made visibility poor and forced one small Coast Guard boat to turn back early Tuesday morning, Petty Officer Ryan Doss said.
The Princess, which offers five-hour lunch and dinner casino cruises, had disembarked from the Port of Palm Beach at 6:30 p.m. It was set to return by 11:45 p.m., Murray said, but when the Princess became involved in the search, it remained out at sea until about 1:45 a.m.
Brian Butler, a 21-year-old valet who went out to gamble with a group of friends Monday, said the ship's crew told passengers little more than that a passenger was missing.
With little information, many grew annoyed at being kept out to sea until nearly 2 a.m., he said.
"Customers were mad, everyone was tired," Butler said. "People were lying down. It was just a long night."
andrew_marra@pbpost.com
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Our Partner
• SunFest Guide
• Area Movie Times
• Gators Galore Sites
• Fla. Lottery Numbers
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Copyright © 2004, The Palm Beach Post. All rights reserved.
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