VA - Amy Bradley - missing from cruise ship, Curacao - 1998

[fridaybaker]

Regarding sightings, there have been many, many "sightings" over the years. I don't know about the one on the ship, but the FBI did take several sightings very seriously, and they seemed to have some consistency across them. What I discount are the "sightings" produced by the cruiseline during the court case aimed at claiming that Amy hadn't been kidnapped. They claimed sightings all over the place, which is odd that she wouldn't have turned up by now. But I guess she's either everywhere or at the bottom of the sea. LOL.

We all have our opinions on whether or not this was foul play, but Amy's case is very, very different from most cruise disappearances/overboards. The fact that Amy herself expressed unease about some crew members, the fact that all of her photos were missing, and so much more.

Also, I did some research quite some time ago on the incidence of cruise ship overboards and I can't remember it all right now, but the number I came up with showed that it is extremely rare for such an occurrence. It happens, but boy is it unlikely considering the number of cruise passengers per year!

 

[Rob774]

Bump for Amy. I think about her because we are just over a month apart in age and our 50th is approaching. My only hope is that she aged-out a long time ago, thus has been in the hands of the father for decades now. Its just sad that she was taken before she got to live the next stage of her life.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Theories she might've fallen overboard and drowned were dismissed because 23-year-old Amy was a proficient swimmer who had previously worked as a lifeguard. She had been on a luxury trip from Aruba to the Antilles with her parents, Ron and Iva and brother, Brad and was last seen asleep on her cabin balcony.

Iva told reporters: ”When we discovered Amy missing, we begged the ship's personnel to not put the gangway down, to not allow anybody to leave the ship."

Brothel mystery of missing woman last seen on balcony of luxury cruise ship

The case of Amy Lynn Bradley, 23 who vanished while onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in 1998 is said to be one of the most disturbing missing person cases in history

www.dailystar.co.uk

 

[DD Byrd]

It makes the most sense that she went overboard either by her own choice, accidently, or against her will. Swimming proficiency doesn't matter out at sea, there is only so long Michael Phelps could tread before exhaustion and death (let alone hypothermia long before). If she fell from a higher deck she'd be dead on or shortly after impact.

Yet some of the sightings do give pause. So, how do you smuggle a live (drugged, bound, gagged, etc) person off of a ship? There is a lot of activity between sailings at port. If crew were involved, the amount (and size) of the cargo equipment certainly make it possible, and even easier for a dead person. And however much of a stretch, a big suitcase might work. Folks that cruised for multiple legs or intercontinental often had comically huge suitcases, at least then.

It's also possible she was onboard the whole time, and departed with the next cruise. A crewman would know the darkest nooks and crannies to hide her. But statistically, and rationally, it still seems she went overboard, alive or already dead.

 

[neesaki]

Theories she might've fallen overboard and drowned were dismissed because 23-year-old Amy was a proficient swimmer who had previously worked as a lifeguard. She had been on a luxury trip from Aruba to the Antilles with her parents, Ron and Iva and brother, Brad and was last seen asleep on her cabin balcony.

Iva told reporters: ”When we discovered Amy missing, we begged the ship's personnel to not put the gangway down, to not allow anybody to leave the ship."

Brothel mystery of missing woman last seen on balcony of luxury cruise ship

The case of Amy Lynn Bradley, 23 who vanished while onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in 1998 is said to be one of the most disturbing missing person cases in history

www.dailystar.co.uk

Thank you, thank you! @imstilla.grandma There are times I so wish I still had the :banghead: emoji
How some discount the FBI reports is mind boggling to me. There were multiple sightings, and they, the FBI, know that at least some of those are verifiable.
It’s completely clear to me that they know she didn’t fall overboard.
If so they wouldn’t have bothered with offering a reward, and her own FBI missing poster if they didn’t have information leading them to believe someone was responsible for her disappearance. They say it right here. What else does anyone need. Rhetorical question, thus no question mark, lol. I sometimes think some people don’t want to admit that human trafficking actually exists.

AMY LYNN BRADLEY | Federal Bureau of Investigation

March 24, 1998

www.fbi.gov

Snipped quote:

“The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the recovery of Amy Lynn Bradley and information that leads to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person(s) responsible for her disappearance.”

 

[DD Byrd]

The FBI would weigh in on an American citizen disappearance in international waters. At the time RCI may have been based in Miami, but certainly a field office where the ship involved was actually registered takes a gander. Obviously there's the potential for foul play, and a reward can be offered for information in any event, likely said recovery. With an initial release they're looking for evidence of foul play aboard the ship and potentially leading to risk or injury or death, etc. Not sure why some people think one possibility closes the door to all others. lol. Meanwhile, human trafficking existing and Amy's disappearance are not mutually exclusive. We can certainly hope she is alive and will come home.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

*Brad was the last person to see her alive, according to authorities. He said the last word he said to Amy were I love you.

Knowing that that's the last thing I said to her has always been very comforting to me," he said in the footage.