Andy Wallis
By this time, my Mom was hysterical. She was scared to leave the ship, thinking that her husband may still be on board, but the ship would not delay its’ departure… on the other hand, she also feared that my Dad could have fallen overboard. She was in turmoil.
The ISS secured a hotel room for them. After searching all day for my Dad, the men returned. Aside from their own action and persistence, there was no assistance in the search for my Dad by the cruise line, other than their mere search of the ship. They didn't even make the "man overboard" alert, until Dennis demanded it, which was hours after my Dad was reported missing. The Coast Guard had not participated in the investigation, because the ship failed to notify them. Passengers should be aware that if a tragedy, like this, occurs while on a cruise ship, they can only depend on their own resources.
The following morning, July 11th at 4:00am, I received the call… It was feared that my Dad had fallen overboard... and I was forced to wait 2 days for my Mom to return home.
The circumstances surrounding my Dad’s disappearance were so overwhelming. I could not believe my Dad would not be coming home from his “cruise of a lifetime”! My brothers, my daughter, and I were fortunate to have such wonderful and supportive friends to help us, and speak with the media on our behalf. I just kept thinking, "I need Dad here to help me", but it was because of his disappearance that all this was happening.
On Tuesday, July 13th, my Mom returned home. On Friday, July 16th, we were informed that my Dad's body had washed up on a small island, not far from where his friends had conducted their search. Even after being informed, I still held on to the hope that this was a mistake… that it really was not my Dad’s body…. And that he would be coming home to us.
Greece took so long to perform the autopsy and complete the identification process that his body was not returned home to us until July 26, 1999. The autopsy report stated that he had drowned; however, there were no broken bones or contusions, which is difficult to believe, if he had “supposedly” fallen from the ship. It was calculated to have been “like hitting concrete at least 50 mph”.
Over 400 people attended his funeral. We never got to see his body and were forced to take the word of strangers that the body was, in fact, my Dad’s.
My Mom went to court, hoping for a jury trial, but instead, she ended up paying enormous lawyer fees that far exceeded the settlement. A gag order was imposed on her and the other couples, who had joined them on the cruise; however, that order was not imposed on me… I am here to tell the story.
Andy Wallis Case Details: 1 2
Andy Wallis
Missing Cruise Ship Passenger Ends In Overboard Death
Princess Cruise Lines - Grand Princess - July 10, 1999
