Newspapers are reporting that a jury in Canada convicted a former Royal Caribbean waiter, from Mauritius, of murdering a young woman and her family who he met during a cruise in 2009.
In December of 2009, two weeks before Christmas, 24 year-old Shakti Ramsurrun, from the country of Mauritius (off of the southeastern coast of Africa) met 19 year-old cruise passenger Anne-Katherine Powers and her parents on a cruise aboard the Explorer of the Seas. Mr. Ramsurrun had been employed as a waiter by Royal Caribbean Cruises for only two months.
The following day, when the Explorer reached Coco Cay, Mr. Ramsurrun accompanied the young Canadian woman ashore, although he knew that that he was violating the company’s anti-fraternization policy.
Over the next few months, the friendship between the two continued and they became engaged.
In April 2010, four months after the first cruise, the family returned for a second cruise aboard the Explorer to celebrate the 25th marriage anniversary of Ms. Powers’ parents. Mr. Ramsurrun reportedly “asked the captain for special permission to spend time with my fiancee.” Ms. Powers reportedly 
ended up staying in Mr. Ramsurrun’s cabin during the cruise, if Mr. Ramsurrun’s trial testimony is accurate.
They later became married in Maurtius and, after staying there for a short time, they moved to Canada where they lived in Ms. Powers’ parent’s house with their newborn son.
Ms. Powers wanted to separate from her husband, after their relationship deteriorated, but the couple still lived together. Mr. Ramsurrun moved to the basement of the family home. Ms. Powers’ parents wanted him to leave their house, but Mr. Ramsurrun remained. In 2012, Mr, Ramsurrun killed Ms. Powers and her parents and left the house with the estranged couple’s child. The police apprehended him with his child in a van, and he was charged with the triple slaying.
Mr. Ramsurrun has remained in jail for the past 5 years. Late last week, a jury convicted him of murdering the family. According to the Ottawa Citizen, the court sentenced him to life imprisonment with no chance for parole for 25 years.
The last Royal Caribbean crew member from Mauritius who was in the news was Karan Seechurn who worked on the Quantum of the Seas as a mini-bar attendant. He was arrested and pleaded guilty of abusive sexual contact in 2015 after he used a master key to enter a woman’s cabin and molest her while she was sleeping.
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Hat tip to Crew Center who covered the story: Fairy tale turned into a nightmare – Ex Crew Member charged with triple murder.
Photo credit: Top – Radio Canada ICI Ottawa-Gatineau; bottom – Gatineau Police Department via Ottawa Citizen