Pago Pago - October 27th

[zeehag]

received this letter from a friend cruising a cheoy lee offshore 41 in pago pago---he says this happened last night, tonight in mexico is 28 oct. he has been a member here , i believe as well as other forums---he said someone next to him in anchorage was robbed--his letter:


"Last night 2 guys Boarded the boat that is Anchored next to S/V Altaira And Attacked the owner for no reason.
He was asleep in his bed and woke to 2 guys beating him, At one point they had a cord around his neck trying to choke him. Some how he got away from them to where they could not get to him easy and they left.
This was around midnight. A lady on shore saw 2 guys with a old piece of dock paddling out to his boat and called the Harbor patrol. The guys were gone by the time they got there but police on shore picked up 2 guys. The Police boat circled Altaira 5 times then left without making contact, The boat Owner came up and had one load yell for help and guys from other boats heard him and went to his aid and got he police boat back. The Police took him to the hospital where he remains and will for a couple of days. He has 2 broken teeth and scalp and other lacerations but will be ok. The boat is a Bloody mess. Eric from S/V Sidetrack the boat on the other side of him was one that responded and is going to go Clean up the boat and feed the cat. I slept through the whole thing a Rob from Changing Spots Came over an woke me up to see that I was OK about 1:30 am.
Could have been me. But I never leave my boarding ladder down and haul my Dinghy out of the water up to deck level every night. So it would be harder for anyone to get on board. His Dinghy was in the water And Boarding ladder down so they had to know someone was on the boat. The reason it wasn't me may have been because it was harder to get on my boat, we are less than 200 ft apart. All the Cruisers here are in shock. This is the friendliest place we have ever been, Really nice helpful people. Nothing like this ever happened here before the people here take pride in being friendly and helpful. I'm sure they will not go easy on guys that go against the traditions here. There are 10 churches here for every Bar. There is a large Police force here for the size of the place.
This place is still far safer than anyplace in the USA. People don't have bars on the windows and the doors are wide open most of the time. They don't have the need to be locked in their own homes like the people in AZ and CA do. Don't worry about me I'll be fine."



please be safe and make sure your boat is not easily boarded. raise your dink and make sure nothing is obvious as to your wealth or status. this can , obviously, happen anywhere in the world.

[Pilotethridge]

I'd rather have ten bars for every church, like Alaska!

[zeehag]

"Updated info

The Guys Name is Kimball Everyone just calls him Kim. Nice guy.
Tall thin guy someone said he is 70. Altaira's Home port says Lake Pleasant AZ.
Sloop with Reverse shear Transom with a Monitor on it.

He will be in Hospital til Monday then will stay on shore a couple of days with friends before going back to the boat.

Judy from Wind Rider was up to see him Yesterday. One side of his face is normal the other side Black & Blue with lots of stitches Black eye and marks around his neck where they tried to strangle him.
The People at the Hospital said they had never seen this here before. This sort of thing doesn't happen here.
Lucky the lady on shore saw and called police boat. When Police boat came the guys jumped overboard and the police picked them up so Positive they have the right guys. One report was two 22 year old guys the other I heard was a 20 and a 24 year old. Maybe the first report just averaged the ages. Any way they are caught The Samoan's here are also outraged. I don't think they will get off easy. Will let you know when I hear more."

[ShaunJ]

Thanks Zee for the info, I think your advice is good, don't make it easy to board your vessel.

[zeehag]

this happened in a place where violence against the cruisers doesnt happen. please be safe out here.....

[zeehag]

i made the mistake of posting this warning during the time of folks making quarterback calls regarding a beneteau being left in the atlantic--something about which no one can do anything... but this safety warning is something about which folks cruising CAN do something--keep aware and make sure you havent such easy access to your boat that someone can board and awaken you with a string around your neck--even in places wherein violence is known to NEVER happen.....

[Cheechako]

Thanks for posting. A dose of reality is good, we all get a little complacent at times. This type of thing happens now and then. Raise the dink up and lock your companionway!

[Ctrich]

Wow....... Thats a surprise for a south sea Island. Hope the cruiser is all right.
Spent 6 weeks in Pago pago waiting for the wind gen to be fixed and found nothing but warm greetings and big smiles.
I feel in love on that Island...... no ..... sorry..... I feel in love twice on that Island !
It was the same for all the Islands visited.

The home made bus's going to costco were a bit scary.

Rich

[zeehag]

i heard he is doing well. i wonder if he will now lift his dink out of water and create a difficulty in boarding his boat, instead of ease of access..........

[zeehag]

received this email today--



They didn't list all of the injuries. Kim ha s2 broken teeth and a broken upper jaw besides what they list.

Two out on probation face felony charges for brutal beating, felonious restraint Wednesday November 2, 2011
By Fili Sagapolutele fili@samoanews.com
Font | Size:
Georgia Verdana Times New Roman Arial
Print this article
E-mail this article
Share this article

Comments (10)Two men, both on probation from previous crimes, are facing four felony charges for allegedly beating another man on his yacht and trying to strangle the victim - first with a strap and then with an electronic cord.



Jason Muasau and Vatia Tugaga have been charged with one count each of first degree assault, a class A felony punishable by imprisonment for ten to 30 years or life; first degree burglary, a class B felony punishable by five to 15 years imprisonment; and felonious restraint, a class C felony punishable by up to 7 years imprisonment, a fine of $5,000 or both.



The pair is also charged with one count each of resisting arrest, a class D felony punishable by up to five years imprisonment, a fine of $5,000 or both.



Muasau and Tugaga made their initial appearance last Friday in District Court and the pair returned yesterday where the felony charges were filed by the government. Bail for each defendant is set at $100,000 and their preliminary examination hearing is set for next Monday.



Court documents identified Tugaga as George Tulaga but when questioned in District Court at yesterday's hearing the defendant said his legal name is George Tugaga.



According to court documents, a woman called the main police station around 11:30 p.m. Oct. 27 to report that two males were floating on an unknown device and paddling out towards one of the yachts in Pago Bay. The caller was concerned because she knew someone lives on the yacht and their dingy was tied to the yacht.



The witness told police that the two males reached the yacht and climbed aboard and she saw them walking around the boat. The witness then heard screaming and yelling coming from the boat and then heard a lot of noise coming from inside the boat including more muffled screams.



When police arrived on the scene, one officer told the caller that the Marine Patrol boat was on its way.



A Marine Patrol Officer told investigators that officers on the Marine Patrol Boat noticed a wooden log floating near one of the yachts and then heard someone moaning as if they were hurt aboard the same yacht.



As officers turned a spotlight on the yacht, the officers saw Muasau jump off the yacht into the ocean and swim away. The officers called out to Muasau to swim towards the Marine Patrol boat, but the defendant continued to swim away.



Officers managed to reach Muasau who was then pulled into the Marine Patrol boat, but Muasau allegedly resisted them by shaking and pulling his arms away. The officers attempted to detain Muasau, who allegedly continued to physically resist by violently wresting his body away from the officers. Muasau was finally restrained but the defendant allegedly yelled out "I didn't do anything" and swore profanities in Samoan.



Officers then saw Tugaga jump into the ocean and hid between the yacht and a small boat tied to it. The officers told investigators that Tugaga refused to swim toward the Marine Patrol boat. The officers were able to get close to Tugaga and pulled him in to the Marine Patrol but Tugaga also allegedly resisted, but was finally restrained.



The officers then noticed the victim covered in blood crawling from the yacht towards the starboard side. Officers called out to the victim to stay on the boat and that help was on its way.



When questioned by police, the victim said he was asleep on the yacht when he "woke up to someone clubbing the left side of his face," according to court documents, which also state that the victim "received several blows to his face before he was able to defend himself."



The victim "was able to stand up, block a few blows and grab the instrument they were using to beat him," said investigators in court documents.



The victim yelled for help and started pushing and shoving to get out of the yacht but one of the suspects held him while the other showed him a strap by straightening it and then wrapped it around the victim's neck and tried to strangle him while the other held the victim back.



The victim also told police that he was "able to wedge all his fingers between his neck and the strap as he tried to resist," said court documents. "The suspect who was choking him with the strap then dropped it while the other one put [the victim] into a choke hold."



The victim further informed police that he continued to shove to try to get out of the boat and yell for help. At one point, the suspects were able to wrap something else around his neck and continued to strangle him until he lost consciousness just as he saw flashing lights, the court documents allege.



The victim told police that "he remembered thinking, ‘So this is what it is like to die'." When the victim regained consciousness he immediately yelled for help and tried to crawl out into the cockpit of the yacht.



Police were able to interview a male witness, who rowed out to the victim's yacht. As the witness approached the victim's yacht, the witness told police he could hear the victim call out "help me, help me." When the witness reached the victim, "his face was covered with blood and he had an electric cord around his neck.



According to the witness, the victim told him that the assailants had been hitting him with a metal rod they had broken off his tripod. The victim further stated that the assailants had used the metal rod "to twist the cord tightly around his neck."



The victim was taken to LBJ Medical Center for treatment and the attending physician told police that the victim suffered a bruise around the left eye, multiple eye lacerations, a broken tooth, contusions on the left hand wrist, four stitches to the left frontal forehead, 17 stitches to the left ear lobe, three stitches to the left eyebrow and 5 stitches to the left temporal area near the left ear, according to court documents.

[zeehag]

am glad no one is bashing this man for being beaten , however, a dead horse is preventing the viewing of this by many.....i hope those who are planning on sailing south pacific keep their eyes open , as it were, and stay safe-- do not let your boat be easily entered.
do not let your guard down, and smooth sailing.

[krafthaus]

Some simple measures can help significantly. Locking the companionway for one. I've seen some interesting ideas for a bar across a hatch so a person can't climb in if it is left open on a hot evening. Relatively low cost battery operated motion sensors that alarm as well. And, noise making devices, air horns, etc. to draw attention to scare the perpetrator away & bring help. Plus a can of pepper spray handy would be valuable I think.

This would take care of >90-95% of all incidents. Most of these thugs are looking for easy pickings and these simple deterents would likely eliminate almost all problems.

For someone really determined to rob you or do harm to you, then there's not much you can do. But same is true when you are on land also.

I hope the older gentleman is OK in the end.

Take care & be safe all.

[zeehag]

raise dink--his was left in water and was method of entry onto boat--
make your sugar scoop transom protected with something slick to prevent ease of access.

[zeehag]

from latitude 38:


Cruiser Attacked in Pago Pago

November 7, 2011 – Pago Pago, American Samoa

Disturbing news has come out of Pago Pago, American Samoa. According to the Samoa News, as well as independent cruiser reports, on October 27, Kimball Corson was savagely beaten aboard his Lake Pleasant, AZ-based Fair Weather Mariner 39 Altaira by two assailants. The two suspects were seen paddling what appears to have been a piece of floating dock on Pago Bay toward Altaira around 11:30 p.m. The witness called police because she knew Corson, 70, lived aboard.

Authorities say that after boarding the boat, the men — both in their early 20s and both on probation from previous crimes — found Corson asleep below and began beating him. Corson reported that he was trying to fight off the attack when one of the men wrapped a strap around his neck and started choking him, but that he was able to wedge his fingers between the strap and his throat. As Corson continued to struggle, the suspects reportedly dropped the strap and wrapped an electrical cord around his neck. He told police that he remembered thinking, "So this is what it's like to die."

In the meantime, the local marine patrol had reached Altaira. According to the police, both suspects jumped off the boat, and one started swimming away, while the other hid between Altaira and her dinghy. Both were apprehended, though police say both resisted. Corson was whisked to the hospital, where he was treated for broken teeth, a broken upper jaw, and multiple bruises and lacerations, receiving a total of 29 stitches to his head. According to one cruiser report, he'll be staying with friends ashore before moving back to Altaira.

The two suspects, Jason Muasau and Vatia Tugaga, have each been charged with first degree assault, first degree burglary and felonious restraint, as well as resisting arrest — all felonies. Bail has been set at $100,000 for each. There is no known motive.

The attack has sent shockwaves through the cruising community, as Pago Pago is well known as a friendly and welcoming port. One cruiser identified only as Gary said, "Nothing like this ever happened here before. All the cruisers are in shock. This is the friendliest place we have ever been — really nice, helpful people and I'm sure they will not go easy on guys that go against the traditions. This place is still far safer than any place in the U.S."


- latitude / ld

[zeehag]

update:
"Kim is back on his boat again. He is looking much better, And doing much better. He has a cold now. No wonder that beating took a lot out of him. All the guys I ever heard about that board boats in 3rd world countries to do you harm are bare foot. I told Kim about the Alaska way to deal with bears in boats that would work here too. Since they always come aboard in the dark without a flashlight. Take some plywood a little wider than the entrance to the boat and put sheet rock screws about 2" long through it every 3" and lay it out side of the companionway. When they step on that you will have your early warning and with rusty screws in their feet they will not continue what they had in mind when they came aboard.. Just Make sure you remember it is there and never step on it yourself."