Comments on: Cruise Ship Employee Missing From Carnival Sensation, Coast Guard Searching

By: Julian

Julian — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:50:51 +0000

I was on this cruise with my children , we had a balcony Port side and heard the “Bravo” and saw the strobes about half mile behind the boat , why didnt they lower a rescue craft to search ?
Were all still in shock .
God bless him

By: Jules Sanchez

Jules Sanchez — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:50:44 +0000

Thank You Bruce Boone for sharing your accounts of the events of the evening. I have known Antonio since 2002. We met doing a production of Godspell for the Youth Arts Cultural Foundation in Bellflower Ca. We became good good friends. We were gonna be superstars, He and I even drove from LA to San Fransisco to audition for the 4th season of American Idol. He then landed a job dancing for Disneyland California Adventure. and then Got the Job with Carnival. He will be missed and his light shines bright through those who LOVE him.

By: Friend of Antonio Matabang

Friend of Antonio Matabang — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:23:53 +0000

I apologize for my earlier comment on your contact page. I have been so distraught of the loss of my dear friend that I wasn’t thinking straight and the link that I clicked on google just pointed to the photo. I apologize again. Thank you for your understanding.

And with regards to the top two posts, I think Lisa was talking about the guy washing windows. If you read both posts as one, it makes sense.

By: Bruce Boone

Bruce Boone — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 02:47:34 +0000

I was a passenger on the ship and went up on deck when I saw the liferings in the water and heard the announcement of “Bravo Bravo Port Side”. I talked to the people who saw it happen. Antonio was outside taking a picture after the New Year’s festivities, standing on the first rung of the handrail wall, when he lost his balance and flipped over backwards over the rail and hit his head on the way down. I was on deck for 4 hours by myself right above the bridge searching along with the crew and freezing the whole time. I just couldn’t sit idly by in my room and do nothing. I saw a total of 5 life rings; 2 with strobes, one with an amber light within 15 feet of each other, and 2 without lights separated by a pretty big distance. All were empty every time we slowly passed by them. It was a disheartening and eerie sight to see. The two with strobes actually had a short length of rope that connected them loosly. I freaked when I saw that because it was possible it could have meant that he did it, or of course, it was more likely a cruel coincidence of nature that kept them together. The search lights were good enough that if he were floating anywhere near the liferings, he should have been spotted. One helicopter turned off its lights, so I assume they were using infrared search technology. The Coast Guard gave up searching after about 2 hours to wait for daylight, yet the ship continued on for a couple more in the early morning fog.

He was so darn talented, and did solos in nearly every song sung in the shows. Truly a great loss. I can still hear his perfectly sung rendition of Lionel Ritchie’s “Endless Love” with the female lead singer. My thoughts go to his family and fellow crew members. I wish more could have been done.

It’s ironic that the ship was due for one last cruise before getting a huge 70 million dollar makover, which would include safer glass handrail systems. I could easily see a quick under supervised child slipping right through the rungs of the current handrail system. Falling 80 feet is barely survivable for the most conditioned person who knows exactly what to expect. It is a death warrant for anyone tumbling on the way down or for a child. Hopefully this type of tragedy will be prevented in the future.

By: Kristen Rae

Kristen Rae — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 09:37:11 +0000

For anyone to question Antonio’s value of his own life is ignorant!! To make assumptions on what value a person may or may not have on their own life without knowing the person is ignorance. I happen to know Antonio and his family and to clear things up, he valued his life. This was a tragic accident that has left many devastated. Unless you saw first hand what happened that night, don’t assume you know what Antonio’s life did or did not mean to him.

By: Lisa Rae

Lisa Rae — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 15:32:08 +0000

This guy evidently did have any value for his own life. I was on Carnival Triumph in 2006 we were in St. Thomas a crew member was painting on the outside of the ship but he did have a harnes on

By: Lisa

Lisa — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:26:22 +0000

I don’t doubt that it was an accident. I was on a Carnival ship (Triumph) in Aug of 2008. Not only was it the worst cruise ever, I watched an employee washing the outside windows. We were sailing, and he was standing on the life boats with no harnes or anything holding him incase he feel. He did have a life jacket on. But so what! That was so nerve racking watching him. Everyone that was standing and watching was horrified too. I will never criuse with them again anyway, but that just showed me what kind of a company they really are. They suck!