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Cruise Passenger Mystery Deepens
August 1, 2005

NEW YORK -- United States authorities are probing the disappearance early last month of a Connecticut man who was on a honeymoon cruise through the Mediterranean. They say it appears foul play may have been involved.

George Allen Smith IV was halfway into the cruise with his bride, Jennifer Hagel, when he vanished while the ship was off the Turkish coast, according to The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm.

"The captain came on and announced to everyone that there was a passenger missing," says Linda Bruck, who was on board the Royal Caribbean's "Brilliance of the Sea" with her husband, Larry Bruck.

They say they didn't see Smith or Hagel, but heard all the rumors.

"That there was a possibility he had winnings that people knew he had won and that they were after," is how Larry Bruck describes one such rumor.

"The most outrageous rumor I heard was that there was an old boyfriend on board," says Linda Bruck.

Another passenger thought something might be amiss when Smith disappeared.

Clete Hyman, who was in an adjoining cabin to that of Smith and Hagel, recently recalled what he heard through the walls in the early morning hours of July 5: "The impact, it sounded like something really heavy, and my first thought was maybe throwing furniture overboard," Hyman said on "Scarborough Country" on MSNBC. "All of a sudden, there (was) some very loud arguing out on the balcony."

Candid testimony like that is unlikely to be repeated anytime soon, Storm observes, since Turkish authorities turned the case over to Washington, and the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office are now in charge of the investigation.

Witnesses have been gagged, and the U.S. officials are doing all the talking. Says U.S. Attorney Kevin O'Connor: "This is not going to be an easy case. We have a moving crime scene, we have a group of international passengers who have dispersed. So, it may take a long time to piece together what happened that night."

Turkish authorities had interviewed and released Hagel, and a Turkish prosecutor has said Hagel isn't a suspect.

Defense attorney and CBS News legal consultant Mickey Sherman went to high school in Greenwich, Conn. with George Smith IV's father, though it's been years since they've spoken.

Sherman, who still lives in Greenwich, says he has been watching the case take shape.

On The Early Show Monday, he told Storm the Smiths are a "well-known family. …Everyone has always had nothing but the best regard for this family. Never any trouble. The best reputation. Nice people, active in the community. Again, I don't know them now, but I know of them. No one would have anything negative to say about them at any time."

Hagel and both her and Smith's families have been completely tightlipped, which Sherman says he respects: "A lot of people are not disappointed, but frustrated with that. We in the media seem to be frustrated by that. But, as opposed to some of the other cases that we've seen, whether it's (Michael) Jackson or (Scott) Peterson, I laud them, both sides, for not parading out lawyers or family spokespeople or whatnot.

"According to the U.S. Attorney in Connecticut (Kevin O'Connor), who has now got control of this case, they've been nothing but cooperative, both sides. And that's all they really need to do."

Turkish authorities say Hagel told them she and her husband had been in the casino, drinking and gambling, and she doesn't remember what happened when they got back to their room. Yet, Hyman says he heard arguments, perhaps furniture being moved around.

Sherman discounts the apparent discrepancy: "You have to assume on a cruise ship, everyone is there to enjoy themselves. You can't vilify them that they were drinking. That's what you are supposed to do on vacation and on your honeymoon."

Sherman agrees with O'Connor that probers have their work cut out for them: "(This wasn't) just a crime scene, it was a moving crime scene. And a private crime scene. Who knows if the cruise ship security people are cooperating fully? They have (potential) civil liability."

CBS News

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Appeal from FBI in Cruise Ship Disappearance
August 30, 2005

STAMFORD - Federal agents investigating the disappearance of a U.S. citizen from his Mediterranean honeymoon cruise have sent a letter to passengers and crew members seeking any information they may have.

George Smith IV of Greenwich had been on a 12-night cruise celebrating his wedding when he vanished somewhere between Greece and Turkey. He was reported missing July 5 when the ship docked at Kusadasi, a resort area in the Aegean region of Turkey.

Authorities have called his disappearance suspicious. Blood stains were found running from the balcony of Smith's cabin to life boats, and a hand print was discovered on the side of the ship.

The FBI has obtained numerous records from Royal Caribbean Cruises and has interviewed passengers, crew members and other potential witnesses, the letter states.

Some of those interviewed have come forward with "relevant useful and detailed information," according to the letter.

"In an effort to conduct as thorough an investigation as possible, the FBI intends to identify and interview persons who may have information regarding Mr. Smith's disappearance," the letter states.

An FBI spokeswoman contacted Monday confirmed the letter was sent out recently but declined to discuss the case further.

Investigators say such cases pose a number of challenges, including determining jurisdiction, interviewing passengers from numerous countries and building a case without a body and other evidence.

Turkish authorities have said that several passengers had been questioned -- but no one, including Smith's wife, was suspected of foul play.

Smith's family and his wife's family have not commented. Telephone messages were repeatedly left with the families.

1010 WINS - Infinity Broadcasting Corp.

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Family of missing honeymooner plans lawsuit against cruise ship
By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN
Associated Press Writer
December 7, 2005

STAMFORD, Conn. -- The family of a Connecticut man who disappeared from a cruise ship during his honeymoon plans to sue the cruise operator, accusing the company of trying to cover up the incident and failing to ensure passenger safety, an attorney said Wednesday.

George Allen Smith IV of Greenwich vanished July 5 from a Royal Caribbean ship in the Mediterranean between Greece and Turkey. The FBI has been investigating, but no one has been charged and no body has been recovered.

"The Smith family feels strongly, yes, there was foul play involved, that their son did not accidentally fall off the ship, did not commit suicide," Brett Rivkind, the family's attorney, told The Associated Press.

Authorities have called Smith's disappearance suspicious. Blood stains were found running from the balcony of Smith's cabin to life boats, and a hand print was discovered on the side of the ship.

Smith, who had a promising future running his family's liquor store, was reported missing when the ship docked at Kusadasi, a resort area in the Aegean region of Turkey.

Rivkind, a maritime attorney based in Miami, said he will file a civil lawsuit against Royal Caribbean in Miami in the coming days or weeks.

Royal Caribbean officials have said passenger safety is the company's top priority.

"From day one we've been cooperating fully with the FBI," said Lynn Martenstein, Royal Caribbean spokeswoman. "We've turned over a significant amount of information to the FBI."

In a letter last week telling Royal Caribbean that he represents the family, Rivkind wants to know who ordered the cleaning of the blood in the cabin and on an awning, which Turkish authority allowed the crime scene to be cleaned and when it was cleaned.

One passenger reported that the crew cleaned up the blood the morning after the disappearance, Rivkind said. The company quickly dispatched attorneys and a risk management team to the scene and did not give authorities enough time to do a thorough investigation, Rivkind said.

"We believe the ship should not have sailed from Turkey as quick as it did," Rivkind said. "People were free to come and go when the ship was in Turkey."

Rivkind said it was "appalling" that Royal Caribbean initially said Smith fell overboard when there was plenty of information to suggest foul play.

"We believe they deliberately and intentionally released information to try to create an impression this was just an accident due to George's fault," Rivkind said.

Martenstein said the scene was only cleaned and the ship departed after Turkish authorities gave their approval. She said the company never said definitively what happened to Smith.

The letter seeks any statements obtained from passengers and crew members by Royal Caribbean and videos of Smith leaving a casino on the ship. Rivkind also wants to know when the company notified authorities of Smith's disappearance.

The lawsuit will also accuse Royal Caribbean of failing to respond to noise complaints from other passengers the night of the disappearance, Rivkind said.

Plans for the lawsuit come as U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., holds congressional hearings on the cruise industry next week to educate legislators and the public on the frequency of such tragedies and the way the cruise lines respond.

Smith is one of at least 12 passengers who have vanished from cruises in the past six years. His family has called for called legislation to protect passengers and their families.

Smith's wife, Jennifer, plans to attend the Congressional hearings, her attorney, James Walker, said Wednesday. She has cooperated with authorities and has been cleared, he said.

Walker would not provide details of his client's account, saying the FBI asked her not to discuss the case.

"She's not doing very well," Walker said, noting that she no longer teaches elementary school in Westport. "She is trying to figure out what to do with the rest of her life."

Walker said he is hiring experts to conduct their own investigation of what happened, but is not planning a lawsuit for now.

Newsday

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Originally posted by lasuvidaboy:
If RCI staff did remove evidence though, that is another story.

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The above report makes different claims than others re RCI. The blood was apparently there all day for the Turkish forensic people to photo/swab, do what they do etc, until they gave the all clear to clean it up in the evening, 6pm.. or so the other reports say. Also RCI apparently turned over 79 odd tapes. I thought the pax had gone off on excursions before the blood was found by the steward?

I don't see what suing RCI will gain... except more locks & padlocks for pax

"Smith is one of at least 12 passengers who have vanished from cruises in the past six years. His family has called for called legislation to protect passengers and their families."

2 per year? it's not worth spending any money on any legislation, as probably 10 of those went of their own accord and would find a way of doing so even if chained to their bed in a locked cell [cabin] each night.

This makes for an interesting read, but I suspect most is 'sensationalism'.

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Missing Man's Family Lashes Out At Cruise Lines
Seeks Permanent Changes In Cruise Industry
Tony Aiello
December 12, 2005

(CBS) HARTFORD The family of the Greenwich man who disappeared on his honeymoon cruise is launching a crusade against the cruise industry.

Speaking at a news conference at the Connecticut Capitol Building, Bree Smith, the missing man's sister, said, "permanent changes are required in an industry that has operated far too long in murky waters."

Smith and her parents wore buttons with photos of George Allen Smith IV, who vanished in the Mediterranean in early July while cruising with his new wife on "Brilliance of the Seas."

The Smiths say they will sue Royal Caribbean Cruise Line in Dade County, Fla. court in an effort to discover what exactly happened.

They're also asking Congress to consider tighter regulation of the cruise industry, to better fight crime on cruise ships.

Critics have long complained about the legal and jurisdictional challenges presented by crime on cruise ships. Royal Caribbean, for example, is based in Miami but incorporated in Liberia. Smith disappeared from the ship somewhere at sea between Greece and Turkey.

The Smiths believe George was murdered and tossed overboard. Blood on the awning below his cabin and a report of a struggle heard by occupants of a neighboring cabin have convinced them he's a victim of foul play.

"Something drastic went on the ship that night," said Smith's mother Maureen, "and we have to find out what happened. It was called the 'ship of terror' (by fellow passengers)."

The Smith family claims the cruise line attempted to cover-up what happened, and portray the incident as a suicide or accident.

Smith's new wife was apparently partying elsewhere on the ship when he disappeared. She has not yet spoken publicly, but will appear at a Congressional hearing into cruise line safety scheduled on Washington, DC on Tuesday, December 13.

Royal Caribbean has consistently defended its handling of George Smith's disappearance. Here, as a web extra, is the full text of the company's most recent statement on the case:

The Smith family has suffered an unimaginable loss, and we extend our deepest sympathies to the family. We do not know what happened to George Smith only that he tragically disappeared from a cruise but we continue to cooperate fully with the FBI in the hope that the agency will be able to provide solid answers and some measure of closure for the Smith family. As to Royal Caribbean’s efforts, we believe that despite this terrible tragedy the cruise line handled George Smith’s disappearance correctly and responsibly.

Specifically, we responded to the sole complaint made by a guest, we promptly called in the FBI and local authorities to conduct an investigation, we secured the Smiths’ cabin and the metal overhang, and we conducted a thorough search of the ship. We subsequently interviewed guests and crew who had any knowledge of the Smith’s whereabouts that night, and we collected all possible evidence from security-camera tapes to charge-card receipts and provided it to the FBI. We know this is a traumatic time for George Smith’s wife, parents, other family members and friends, but we believe we responded appropriately, and we will continue to work with the FBI until George Smith’s disappearance is explained.

CBS Broadcasting, Inc.

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Originally posted by Frosty 4:
Are we targets for theft??

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Far from it. In fact if you check out the figures for crime in the US as a whole, or the UK or anywhere, you will see that the figures for crime at sea are so low, they are not worth wasting time over. 30 missing person over 5 years, of which 75% have not been found. Most left suicide notes. Missing persons in the US run at about 17,000 a year.

If 3% of the US population cruise, then 500 odd persons should go missing each year off cruise ships.

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Originally posted by Cambodge:
I had a camcorder stolen from my cabin on Rembrandt on their Baltimore-Halifax cruise in 2000. [...] Insurance covered the loss of the camcorder, but I had some good footage of the cruise that was lost.

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Originally posted by Ernst:

I store them in a watertight plastic bag....

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Cruise Line Details Events After Man's Disappearance
From Associated Press
January 5, 2006

STAMFORD, Conn. — A woman whose husband disappeared during their honeymoon cruise this summer was found sleeping in a corridor far from the couple's cabin the night he vanished, the cruise line said Wednesday.

George Allen Smith IV of Greenwich disappeared July 5 from a Royal Caribbean ship in the Mediterranean Sea between Turkey and Greece. The FBI has been investigating, but no one has been charged and no body has been recovered.

Blood stains were found running from the balcony of Smith's cabin to life boats.

The whereabouts of his wife, Jennifer Hagel-Smith of Cromwell, during the time around his disappearance have largely been a mystery to the public. Federal authorities have said she is cooperating in the investigation. She has declined to comment on details of the cruise, citing the ongoing inquiry.

Royal Caribbean International, after facing criticism from Smith's family and Hagel-Smith for its handling of the disappearance, issued its first detailed account of the events surrounding Smith's disappearance.

The cruise line also said the FBI was investigating an alleged rape of a female passenger by the same young men last seen with Smith. The alleged sexual assault occurred three days after Smith disappeared, and was videotaped by the young men, according to Royal Caribbean.

The FBI has declined to comment.

The company denied allegations from Smith's family that it mishandled the investigation and from Smith's wife that she was treated poorly after her husband disappeared.

A guest relations manager accompanied Hagel-Smith during the investigation after her husband's disappearance, Royal Caribbean said.

"This situation was very serious. We took it very serious," the ship's captain, Michael Lachtaridis, told Associated Press in an interview in New York. "We never abandoned Jennifer."

Royal Caribbean said it called authorities, sealed the cabin and did not clean up the blood until given permission by Turkish authorities.

Turkish authorities have said Smith and his wife had been drinking heavily and gambling before his disappearance.

On the night her husband disappeared, Hagel-Smith was found at about 4:30 a.m. sleeping on the floor of a corridor on the other side of the ship, far from her cabin, Royal Caribbean said. She was taken back to her cabin by wheelchair — a standard procedure — at 4:47 a.m. by two security guards and a supervisor, the cruise line said.

Smith was not in the cabin and his wife said she was OK, Royal Caribbean said.

James Walker, Hagel-Smith's lawyer, criticized the cruise line for not getting her medical help or noticing blood around the cabin. He described her as unconscious when found, though Royal Caribbean said she was sleeping.

Royal Caribbean said "nothing appeared amiss" in the cabin when Hagel-Smith was brought back to it. After the blood was discovered about 8:30 a.m., Smith's wife was found shortly before 10 a.m. getting a massage in the spa, wearing the same clothes from the night before, the cruise line said.

"She responded that she was not aware that Mr. Smith was missing or where he was," Royal Caribbean said in a statement.

Los Angeles Times

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Witnesses Say Newlyweds Argued on Cruise
By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN
Associated Press Writer
January 6, 2005

STAMFORD, Conn. -- A man who disappeared from his honeymoon cruise last summer argued in the ship's bar with his wife, who kicked him in the groin hours before he vanished, two witnesses said Friday.

The witnesses told The Associated Press the FBI has interviewed them about the July 5 disappearance of George Allen Smith IV of Greenwich.

"I was very surprised by their behavior, that a honeymoon couple would act that way," said Margarita Chaves, a 29-year-old teacher from Phoenix.

Smith disappeared from a Royal Caribbean ship in the Mediterranean Sea between Turkey and Greece. Blood stains were found running from the balcony of Smith's cabin to life boats. No one has been charged and no body has been recovered.

Smith's wife, Jennifer Hagel-Smith of Cromwell, was found sleeping on a floor in a corridor far from the couple's cabin the night he vanished, the cruise line said Wednesday.

Hagel-Smith and her attorney say she was unconscious and has no recollection of what happened. Hagel-Smith said she passed an FBI polygraph test. Federal authorities have said she has cooperated with their investigation.

Hagel-Smith called the accounts that she kicked her husband "ridiculous" and "outlandish."

"That's the epitome of what I've had to deal with," Hagel-Smith said. "That's not something I would do to my husband."

Chaves said she was in the bar with her friends when another group introduced them to Smith and his wife. She said the couple was heavily intoxicated and Hagel-Smith was leaning on a male passenger.

"We were afraid a fight was going to start," Chaves said. "She was flirting with him."

Dominick Mazza, a 24-year-old auditor from New Jersey, said Hagel-Smith was leaning on him because she was drunk, but he did not believe she was flirting.

Smith then began calling his wife names, the witnesses agreed.

"She kind of pushed him away lightly and suddenly stood up and kicked him in the private and stumbled out of the bar," Mazza said.

Smith "bent over for quite a while," Mazza said. "You could tell he was in pain. I thought the kick was hard. That was not fooling around."

Chaves said Smith eventually returned to drinking with a group of men. She said the group was drinking absinthe, a highly potent drink.

"His pupils were dilated," Chaves said. "I'll never forget that look in his eyes."

James Walker, Hagel-Smith's attorney, said the accounts are not relevant to Smith's disappearance.

Brett Rivkind, attorney for Smith's family, said the argument might explain why Hagel-Smith left the bar and was later found in the corridor.

"I don't know what to make of that," Rivkind said. "We heard rumors of that. It doesn't seem that serious of an argument to go that far."

The Associated Press

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Originally posted by NAL:
I didn't think "absinthe" was available for purchase any longer.......perhaps I'm being naive. I know it's terribly strong and very addictive.

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Originally posted by Globaliser:
Absinthe is certainly freely available again in the UK. However, I don't know whether RCI sells it on board.

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Originally posted by Cambodge:
Obviously she had been drinking absinthe without leave. Sorry. Someone else would have said it if I did not.

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But in her case, I doubt that absynthe made the heart grow fonder!