Well you still didn’t answer the question.
It’s easiest for Maersk to fire them for something that’s a slap on the wrist, and won’t be contested.
The five undoubtedly lawyered up as soon as the cadet’s blog made the news, and refused to answer any questions.
Maersk did something. It fired them. That’s all they can do. Trying to prove rape would just develop evidence for cadet’s lawyers to use in the civil suit that is sure to follow.
It would not surprise me, if the rapist retired from MEBA and took a lump sum payout.
The junior officers probably went back to the union hall, and back to work on non-Maersk ships.
Maybe the Master retired, but if not, he’s found a job somewhere.
I guess I should have said: nothing of significance has happened and none of us will be surprised to learn that nothing of significance ever happens.
Not to let a good rape go to waste but I see a business opportunity here. A requirement for the privilege of having cadets onboard is to video monitor the cadets’ doors to their staterooms. We can’t permit the master or officers to control the videos - clearly they are the ones raping and creating the conditions for rape - so an outside contractor should install the cameras and recording devices and maintain the videos. There’s money in that contract for sure!
I think that the rapist will probably be prosecuted. Too much public and congressional scrutiny not to. It might go to trial, or it might get plead down.
The other four might be charged with something, probably alcohol related.
I think the Cadet has a compelling story that will attract top legal talent. She will sue everyone in sight and she’ll probably get a big settlement.
In this particular case perhaps. But if you look through all the reports of sexual assaults the perpetrators were not all officers and not all occurred aboard ship.
The MEBA no longer has the lump sum payout.
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He said, she said. I bet he walks free with just a slap on the wrist for drinking related offenses. He may even countersue the victim for defamation or some shit. Can’t get a job due to reputation damages, lost wages; they both cease fire and walk away. Her lawyers get paid in reputation making, his lawyers make a mint off his pocketbook: Justice the All-American way.
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Anything is possible, but I wouldn’t bet too much on your scenario.
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And? There’s tons of Philippinos sailing on US flag apps that are US citizens or permanent residents.
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Yea…
Maestro Phoenix n triple M, tons that means thousands right? Don’t know what changed in the 9 years since my retirement and y’all may call me ignorant but in the 44 plus years doing service and maintenance work on US flag ships I cannot recall any person of Philippine descent in the wheelhouse or engineroom. Foreign flag ships yes, many of them and pretty capable too!
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Must not have been looking very hard. Because I can’t recall a ship I’ve been on without one (or some).
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American flagged I’ve known more than a few up to master and CHENG. Good workers, good shipmates, they have each other’s back (hence the ‘mafia’). Don’t cross them or you’re fighting the tide.
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44 years sailing or working in a shipyard? I don’t recall a US Flag ship I sailed on that didn’t have Filipinos onboard…Electricians, QMEDs, most of Stewards Dept.
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Maybe not on yachts, but deep sea for sure. Sometimes the unlicensed crew is majority Filipino.
I think there are rules about destination, foreign crew on US flagged yachts get away with it if transitting.
Not sure if the merchant fleet have the same rules?
Some different rules for different circumstances.
A lot of US Greencard (permanent resident alien) mariners.
A surprising number of dual national mariners (US Citizens with foreign origins and passports).
Some number of illegals, especially on yachts and fishing vessels.
On demand service/maintenance electronics com/nav, steering n steering gear, some automation, stabilizers n more Caribbean n Gulfcoast, before that sailed foreign flag, cargo, bulkers and tankers.
Addition: Grew up on an island near, in and on the water. In my schoolvacations worked on fishing vessels n inland tugs, n last summer vacation before graduation worked two months as stoker on a coal stoked steamferry with two Scotch boilers and a triple expansion steam engine.
So zero years sailing in the US fleet then. Got it.
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