For reasons unknown, Rick Ehlert wanted his cruise to end.  Ehlert was a passenger on a Holland America cruise ship, the Ryndam, steaming from Costa Maya, Mexico, to Tampa, Florida.  A drunk Rick Ehlert entered a restricted area and deployed the ship’s anchor while the ship was still moving.  He also threw a life buoy overboard.

It may seem harmless, but it actually was not.  Deploying the anchor of a ship while the propeller is engaged can cause some serious damage, up to and including sinking the vessel via hull puncture or breaking the ship’s rudder, causing it to crash or leaving it helpless.  There were 1000 people on board the Ryndam, not including crew.

When the ship docked in Tampa, Ehlert was arrested by FBI agents and charged with attempting to damage a vessel and endangering a ship’s safe navigation.  Luckily, the Ryndam was not harmed in the incident.

Tags: Rick Ehlert, Holland America, Ryndam, Costa Maya, Mexico, Tampa, Florida, FBI, man releases anchor on cruise ship, man forces ship to drop anchor, trespassing, man releases ship’s anchor, man nearly sinks cruise ship, vandalism, drunk criminals, dumb criminals

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