Juneau, Alaska – A South African cruise ship worker has been arrested and charged in connection with a violent incident at sea off the coast of Vancouver Island that left five people injured, including a 75-year-old passenger, as revealed by FBI documents.
The worker, identified as Ntando Sogoni in the affidavit filed by FBI agent Matthew B. Judy, was hired by Norwegian Cruise Line to work on the Norwegian Encore vessel. The incident occurred while the ship was en route to Alaska from Seattle, with scheduled stops in various locations before returning to Seattle on May 12.
According to the documents, ship personnel caught Sogoni attempting to board a lifeboat while the vessel was off the west coast of Vancouver Island, approximately 30 kilometers from Tofino. Upon being confronted by security officers, Sogoni became agitated and launched a violent attack, resulting in injuries to multiple individuals on board.
The affidavit describes how Sogoni attacked a security guard and a male nurse before fleeing into a medical room where a 75-year-old passenger was receiving treatment. The passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries after being stabbed in the arm, hands, and face with a pair of scissors by Sogoni. Subsequent attempts by security guards to intervene led to two guards being stabbed before eventually subduing and detaining Sogoni.
Sogoni was held in the ship’s jail following the incident and was later arrested in Juneau by the FBI. The United States Attorney’s Office has charged Sogoni with assault with a dangerous weapon within maritime and territorial jurisdiction, carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count if convicted.
The FBI believes the criminal act occurred within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, despite the incident taking place off the coast of Canada. Norwegian Cruise Line has been contacted for comment, and further updates on the situation may follow.