Cruise ship crew member charged after admitting sex with 17-year-old passenger
A 38-year-old lifeguard on the MSC World America confessed to having intercourse twice with a 17-year-old guest and was arrested when the vessel docked in Miami.
Guatemalan lifeguard Rafael Cayetano Blanco, 38, admitted to police that he had sexual relations twice with a 17-year-old passenger aboard the MSC World America. He said the teen gave him her number on August 16, the cruise’s opening day, and entered his cabin that evening for intercourse, then returned three days later for a second encounter. The ship arrived back in Miami on Saturday, where Blanco was arrested and placed under an immigration hold while charged with unlawful sexual activity of a minor.
MSC issued a statement confirming the crew member’s dismissal and its full cooperation with the investigation. The cruise, which departed Miami on August 15, was scheduled to stop in Honduras, Mexico and the Bahamas and carries over 6,700 passengers and 2,100 crew members.
Why it matters
The case highlights safety and legal responsibilities on cruise ships and the handling of crimes involving minors.
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