Body on Florida beach identified as Cliford Minej, a cruise ship worker
The man’s body which washed up on a Florida beach Friday morning has been identified as an Indian man who worked for a cruise line, a Clearwater Police Department spokesman said.
Cliford B. Minej, 27, was a worker on a Holland America Line cruise ship, police say Saturday to the press. Minej’s body was found offshore the Clearwater Beach are Friday morning, a short time after seven. He had on shorts and a t-shirt.
Crime Scene Tape photo/editted pic from FBI.gov
Police say that they believe Minej fell or jumped off of a ship named Ryndam, came to port in Tampa.
He was last seen on the ship around 3 a.m., when it was near the Egmont Key island, said Petty Officer 3rd Class Ashley J. Johnson, a U.S. Coast Guard spokeswoman.
Since the captain of the ship didn’t notify authorities of Minej’s disappearance until 8 a.m., after the ship docked, the Coast Guard didn’t know if he had gone overboard or disembarked at the cruise terminal.
The medical examiner has ruled Minaj’s death as accidental.
Holland America Line, released a statement about the incident to The Tampa Bay Times.
‘We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our crew members and our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time,’ the statement said.
