survivor Adrian Vasquez (left) ,image of boat from cruise (right). Photo cred:AP photos/ Tito Herrera, Jeff Gilligan.

Stories of people lost and surviving at sea for days or weeks have gripped human consciousness for millenia.

This recent story has a particularly sad and unfortunate twist.

Three Panamanian fishermen castaways were lost and listing at sea for over 14 days. When they saw a modern cruise ship approaching they must have thought their prayers were answered.

Several passengers on board the Star Princess Cruise ship spotted the tiny vessel. Despite having alerted a crew member with instructions to contact the captain, the boat sailed on without pausing to save the three unlucky fishermen.

Two of them would die as a result.

The cruise liner’s excuse for not rescuing the stranded fishermen? A breakdown in communications.

A statement issued by Princess Cruises stated:

“The preliminary results of our investigation have shown that there appeared to be a breakdown in communication in relaying the passenger’s concern. Neither Captain Edward Perrin nor the officer of the watch were notified… Understandably, Captain Perrin is devastated that he is being accused of knowingly turning his back on people in distress.”

18 year-old Adrian Vasquez was the only survivor of the three fishermen that set sail from the Port of Rio Hato, Panama. Vasquez reports that the other two passengers, Oropeces Betancourt, 24, and Fernando Osorio, 16 passed away from dehydration after the cruise liner had spotted them.

Vasquez was later rescued by the Ecuadorian navy after 28 days at sea.