Compiled from Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 8, 2003
FORT LAUDERDALE — A Carnival Cruise Line employee was held without bail Friday on charges he raped a passenger aboard the Legend as it neared Port Everglades.
Made Wirawan, a 24-year-old native of Indonesia, was charged with sexual battery and burglary with assault or battery, Broward Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Veda Coleman-Wright said.
A 28-year-old woman said a man entered her cabin while she was sleeping early Thursday and raped her. The Legend, returning from an eight-day Caribbean cruise, was 7 miles out at sea.
After reporting the attack to Carnival security personnel, the woman was able to identify Wirawan as the attacker, police said. Wirawan allegedly used a master key card to enter her room.
The woman, who lives out-of-state, was taken to the Sexual Assault Treatment Center in Fort Lauderdale for tests.
Jennifer de la Cruz, a spokeswoman for the cruise line, would not comment on the case.
Lipcon, Margulies & Alsina, P.A. was responsible for handling the lawsuit that ensued and obtained a settlement prior to trial. Due to the nature of these types of cases, all settlement amounts are confidential. Please take a look at some more of the cruise rape and sexual assault cases the firm has handled. Contact us if you have been the victim of a rape or sexual assault on a cruise ship and let us put our experience to work for you.
