Mumbai Man ‘Vanishes’ Onboard Ship Going From Japan to China

The missing man is 26-year-old Andheri resident Savio Rasquinha.

Savio Rasquinha (left) went missing from a cruise liner headed to Shanghai last month. (Photo: Shawn Rasquinha/Facebook)

The family of a 26-year-old man from Andheri has alleged that he went missing from a cruise ship that was going from Japan to China last month. The family has alleged that the ship was mid-sea when Savio Rasquinha disappeared, Mid-Day reported.

Savio, who landed a job as a steward on the cruise liner Costa Serena 1116, left Japan’s Nagasaki for Shanghai in China – his first destination – on 12 September.

“Savio was a very quiet and hard-working person. He had worked for several five and seven-star hotels after he passing his hotel management course. He used to tell us it was his dream to see the world, so he joined the cruise liner,” his mother Philomena told the daily.

On 19 November, his family received a call informing them about Savio’s disappearance.

“No Record of Savio Signing Out From Duty”

A few days later, Savio’s family members boarded the cruise in Shanghai to collect his belongings.

His twin brother Shawn said, “On 28 November, we went on board with lots of questions in our mind but returned with many of them unanswered. What’s mysterious is that my brother disappeared mid-sea, while his bag and clothes were still onboard. His cell phone is missing, but his ID card was found near the passenger balcony.”

He said that his brother had signed in for duty on 18 November but pointed out that there was no record of him signing out. His family has alleged that they believe Savio's luggage was forced open and tampered with.

The Costa Serena cruise liner. (Photo courtesy: Wikipedia)

Search operations were launched but to no avail. In a statement, the cruise company said:

Immediate search and rescue operation was carried out by Costa Serena in accordance with IAMSAR (International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue). The SAR operation was later handed over to JCG (Japanese Coast Guard) vessels.... The HR Department is still in touch with the family after their return to Mumbai on 1 December. Any further information of the case will be closely monitored and updated to the family.

Savio’s mother said that the family has approached Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj as well as the embassies of Shanghai and Italy – where the cruise company is based. They are yet to receive a response, she said.

(With inputs from Mid-Day)