A cruise ship employee was arrested in Seattle last week and has been charged with sexually assaulting two guests on board the ship. Authorities took him into custody as the vessel returned to port, and the case is now the subject of a federal investigation being handled by the FBI.
The FBI identified the man as twenty-six-year-old Pranit Naran Pawar. He was arrested last week when the cruise ship Brilliant Lady docked in Seattle. According to authorities, Pawar is a citizen of India who had been hired to work aboard the ship as a hairstylist.
The allegations stem from a recent cruise to Alaska. According to the FBI, Pawar offered massages to women who had booked hair appointments with him, and then assaulted two of them in a room located next to the salon where he worked. The two guests are described by investigators as the victims in the case.
The arrest was made once the ship completed its voyage and arrived back in Seattle, giving law enforcement the opportunity to detain the employee on shore. The charges relate specifically to the two reported assaults that authorities say took place while the vessel was at sea.
The FBI says it is continuing to investigate the cases. Officials have urged anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a similar crime, or who witnessed one, to report it as soon as possible, either to cruise ship security staff or to their local FBI office.
The case highlights the role of federal authorities in handling crimes that are alleged to occur aboard ships at sea before they reach a United States port. With the investigation still open, the FBI has signaled that additional information could come forward as it continues to look into the matter.