Remembering Angelo Faliva
Coral Princess Chef Angelo Faliva One Year On
By Mike Groves
For some November 26, 2010 will pass with little significance unless of course it is a time of celebration for you or your family, perhaps a birthday, a christening or a wedding anniversary? But spare a thought if you will for the family and friends of Coral Princess Chef, Angelo Faliva who will be dreading the morning of November 26, exactly one year to the day that their beloved son, brother, cousin and dear friend mysteriously disappeared from the Coral Princess.
You may recall how at the time the cruise operators for the cruise ship, Princess Cruise Lines were pretty none plus about the whole thing, releasing statement which couldn't have been any colder if they tried, “We are really very puzzled . . . We do not know what happened.” but it didn't stop there! One comment from a senior officer astounded, I would pretty much imagine - everyone who read it – “We are very concerned because we are still ignorant about what happened to Angelo said Jorge Cadena, Vice-Captain of the 'Coral Princess’. Someone saw him one last time Wednesday night, but the alarm was given Thursday morning. We obviously cannot stop the cruise, and even if we are really worried, we think of our passengers”
It would be fair to say that I flipped my lid a little when I saw this and really gave the Vice Captain a hard time in my original article, and to be frank, rightly so! The insensitivity of his comments were beyond words.
Remembering Angelo Faliva One Year On
Coral Princess Chef Still In Our Thoughts, If Not The Cruise Company's?
By Mike Groves QGM
Cruise Bruise Security And Safety Advisor
November 23, 2010
Coral Princess at full steam
The Coral Princess left Miami on November 23 and according to Angelo's family Angelo walked out of the ship's galley at about 8:15pm the night before his disappearance. This remains as much a mystery as his disappearance?
My question has always been this -
Who witnessed this?
Why did Angelo walk off his shift?
When was this reported exactly to ship's officers?
The Vice-Captain of the 'Coral Princess’ stated, “someone saw him one last time Wednesday night, but the alarm was given Thursday morning
.
Where did he stay on the ship for those 12 hours before the last sighting?
How can it be that a vessel brimming with CCTV cameras from the keel to the funnel failed to capture Angelo during those 12 hours, 8.15pm too 8.30am? How did he manage to walk through a secure area which would itself be covered by CCTV as previously highlighted in my 2009 article surrounding this case Angelo Faliva.
A Princess Cruises ‘spokeswoman’ stated, 'there had been a complete search of the ship and they had also notified the Colombian Coast Guard however a review of CCTV images did not reveal any information?' How can this be!
Who was it exactly that later saw Angelo talking with another crewmember on open deck at around 8:30am Thursday as the ship neared Cartagena? Other reported statements from the company were also conflicting,
The commander of the Colombian Coast Guard station in Cartagenastated they received a report from the Coral Princess at 10:00am Thursday that Angelo had last been seen Wednesday evening, between 7-8pm as the ship passed near La Guajira.
Princess Cruises said Angelo was last seen on deck at about 8:30am Thursday, Nov. 26 as the ship neared Cartagena.
Coast Guard official, Lt. Sanchez said they received word from the ship that Angelo had been seen about 6:00am Thursday morning.
The Faliva family are led to understand that Angelo’s cabin mate saw him leave the cabin at 8:15pm on Wednesday evening?.........
If seen to leave the cabin at 8:15pm then how could he have been seen to leave his workstation in the galley at 8:15pm that same evening?
Princess Cruises spokeswoman Julie Benson said the "cruise line initiated a complete search of the ship and notified the Colombian Coast Guard by emergency radio message. Where is that message, who communicated it and to whom exactly?
But then the contradictions continue, because the following statement was also made - "The ship docked in Cartagena at 10:00am Thursday. By 3:00pm, the Coast Guard began searching for the chef, using a helicopter and two boats."
First and foremost why would the Coast Guard wait to initiate a Search & Rescue operation 5 hours after the ship docked, yet according Ms Benson, 'the ship notified the Colombian Coast Guard by emergency radio message.'
The company also state that the Coral Princess launched rescue craft to search the waters in the area and continued looking until dark without success. If the ship launched rescue craft to search the area and these continued looking until dark without success, then exactly what point in time are they referring to?
My original question from 2009 remains, Did the cruise ship lower its rescue craft later on Thursday while alongside in the port of Cartagena and then proceed to drive them all the way to the area where Angelo was last seen at 6:00am or 8:30am that morning, and where they then kept those rescue craft out until dark without success? Or are they saying they launched the rescue craft just after Angelo was last seen the night before at 8:15pm?
How can a relatively simple thing like timings, that would / SHOULD have been recorded on board the Coral Princess be so out of sync with one another. How is it possible that no CCTV images are available and why has the company refused to provide the family with copies of these tapes which 'did not reveal any information?'
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