A man was sentenced yesterday in Federal court for entering a restricted area aboard Holland America's Ryndam in November 2010 and deploying the ship's 18-ton stern anchor while the ship was traveling at about 18 knots through the Gulf of Mexico.
According to the US attorney, the ship could have been severely damaged to the point it would have sunk. Fortunately, the ship was in water more than a mile deep, and the anchor chain was only about 600 feet long, so there was no damage to the ship.
This video from Holland America's security camera shows the man releasing the anchor. It was entered into evidence and released by the court at the end of the case.
The man was sentenced to four months of incarceration followed by three years of probation and a $7,500 fine.
The complete story appeared in the March 7, 2012 edition of Cruise News Daily.
