If you're in trouble at sea, signalling a cruise ship doesn't necessarily mean they'll stop to help.

Dying men on a disabled fishing boat were left drifting, despite the close passage of a huge cruise ship that didn’t stop even after its crew was alerted by anxious passengers who saw frantic signalling from the tiny craft, according to the survivor and those who spotted him.

For Adrian Vasquez, sole survivor of the drifting boat, the joy over near-certain rescue as the Star Princess sailed closer and closer turned to despair as it sailed on past.

He said one of his fellow fishermen died hours after the ship passed and the other five days later. He was eventually rescued by Ecuadorians near the Galapagos Islands on March 28 after a month adrift and two weeks after seeing the Star Princess.

www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/world...article2407401/

The article suggests a breakdown in communication to the bridge officers, or a misunderstanding of the intent of the message. It's pure speculation on my part, but I wonder if piracy/security concerns are also part of the mix in a situation like this?

If nothing else, this underlines the value of having some sort of reference material at hand -- allowing you to send/display a formal, internationally recognized distress message.