Rick Ehlert pleaded guilty yesterday to releasing the anchor of the 1,260-passenger ship MS Ryndam as it made its way back to Florida in November 2010. He currently faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Read more after the jump…
(DailyMail)–The FBI says that releasing the rear anchor could have punctured the 719ft ship and caused it to sink or be severely flooded.
According to prosecutors in Florida, 45-year-old Rick Ehlert yesterday pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to damage a maritime facility.
Authorities said the MS Ryndam was Tampa-bound when Ehlert put on work gloves and released the anchor of the 1,260-passenger ship in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico on November 27 2010.
A surveillance video shows Ehlert entering a restricted area and dropping the 18-ton stern anchor.
For good measure he also threw a life buoy overboard as the liner made its way from Costa Maya on the Caribbean coast of Mexico.
Investigators say the Holland America ship avoided damage because the anchor didn’t hit the sea floor.
The FBI says that releasing the rear anchor could have punctured the 719ft ship and caused it to sink or be severely flooded.
According to investigators, Ehlert admitted the offence claiming he was drunk at the time. He also explained that the liner’s anchor system was similar to that of his own 50ft boat.
As soon as it became clear what had happened the ship’s captain made an announcement asking passengers for information.
When no one came forward, everyone was ordered on deck – and Ehlert was identified from CCTV footage of the incident.
The culprit was dressed in the same clothes that Ehlert had worn to a dinner just hours before.
After an inspection of the liner it was found not to be damaged and managed to continue its journey to Florida.
