Committee looks at cruise security
bizjournals.com
A Northeast Florida Congressman delivered a prepared statement Wednesday as a Congressional committee held a hearing to study security procedures on cruise ships.
U.S. Rep. John Mica, the ranking Republican on the transportation and infrastructure committee, told the committee that since it last met in March, the cruise industry has worked with the FBI and the Coast Guard to improve the reporting of crimes and accidents on cruise ships.
"The current system of laws, treaties and industry practices regarding the prevention, reporting of and response to crimes and accidents on cruise ships is complex," Mica said, "but provides U.S. law enforcement agencies with the access they require to investigate vessels, interview victims and examine crime and accident scenes."
In late 2005, another U.S. Congressman, U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, called for hearings to look into the billion-dollar cruise industry after at least eight people had disappeared from cruises in the preceding two years.
