29-10-1967 07:30
police officer
Q: Can you describe what happened?
A: From the beginning? We left Palermo around 8PM with 10 passengers aboard, we reached Ustica about three hours later. Then the plan was to cruise around the island for about an hour or two, but quite dense fog formed in the area, so we had to stay clear of the coast. Before midnight there was some commotion on the veranda deck, so I left the bridge for a moment to see what is going on. I saw people fainting, vomiting, so I returned to the radio and sent the Pan-Pan signal.
Q: Why Pan-Pan and not Mayday signal?
A: I... I thought it was just the sea sickness because only the women were fainting, the men seemed fine, but while I was contacting the Coast Guard in Palermo I felt nausea and lost conscious soon after.
Q: Was the sea rough around the island?
A: No, not really.
Q: Then why you thought it was the sea sickness?
A: I don’t know. It was just... gut feeling, I guess.
Q: Why didn’t you just steer towards the island?
A: The fog was too dense, there were no clear navigation points visible. I wasn’t even sure how far we were from the coast, and with just a skeleton crew aboard, it would be very hard to navigate.
Q: How many crew members were aboard?
A: Apart from me, two.
Q: Just two? Is that enough for yacht of this size?
A: Not really, it should be at least five. I had a steward to take care of the passengers and a mechanic in the motor room, should have at least one helping me on the bridge, and to be safe one on the aft deck. But (anonymised) insisted on keeping the costs as low as possible.
Q: So you put the passengers at risk to cut down the costs?
A: During Autumn, we are not really spoiled for choice when it comes to jobs. (anonymised) owns the yacht, we were just hired to operate it. Besides, it was supposed to be a 5-6 hour trip around an island, close to the shore, so it was not that huge risk.
Q: We’ll see if the Coast Guard will have the same opinion. What do you know about the dead body aboard?
A: Nothing.
Q: You don’t even know who died?
A: How could I? I was unconscious until pretty much arrival to Palermo.
Q: When exactly (anonymised) hired you?
A: Two days ago.
Q: So you had very little time to prepare the yacht for the trip, right?
A: We had no time at all. When I first met him, I had a look around the boat, but we all came aboard just about 20 minutes before leaving the port.
Q: Is that enough time?
A: No, but (anonymised) told me he will clear everything with the harbourmaster and will check the weather reports.
Q: Shouldn’t you been doing it?
A: In general yes, but he is in charge, so...
29-10-1967 07:45
police officer
Q: You are French?
A: Yes.
Q: So what were you doing organizing a cruise around Ustica?
A: It’s a venture I’m trying to start.
Q: What venture?
A: Cruises around haunted places.
Q: And why do you think Ustica is haunted?
A: You don’t know the history of this island?
Q: Just the basics.
A: During the Mussolini’s reign, the island was turned into a prison, where he sent everyone he didn’t like - from political opponents to homosexuals and Jews. Then, when the Germans came, they sent Yugoslav prisoners to the island, which was so overcrowded that people were dying of diseases and hunger. This small piece of land saw a lot of evil.
Q: Just like many other places. But returning to my original question: why are you organizing cruises around here?
A: I’m trying to build a new business.
Q: And you have all the permissions that are required?
A: Well, it’s not that simple.
Q: It is that simple: either you do or you don’t.
A: I’m just trying to attract the investors, so no, it isn’t an official business venture yet. It was more of a... let’s say a trial run.
Q: Who were the passengers?
A: Apart from (anonymised), our main investor, was (anonymised), his wife, (anonymised) and (anonymised), they are American tourists, (anonymised) and his wife (anonymised), he is a chief police officer from Palermo, also (anonymised) and (anonymised), who are scientists who investigate the paranormal phenomena.
Q: And...?
A: What do you mean?
Q: The captain said there were 10 passengers.
A: Well, me and my wife, (anonymised), of course.
Q: What was the plan of the cruise?
A: We planned to travel to Ustica, then circumnavigate around the island two or three times and return to Palermo.
Q: In the darkness? What is the point?
A: No, of course not, the weather forecast was showing that there would be almost a full moon. If it wasn’t for the fog...
Q: So if the fog was building up, why didn’t you abort the whole idea?
A: And lost all the money I put into it? Besides, I was hoping the fog would create a better atmosphere for the passengers...
Q: ...who cannot see the island? You are the owner of the yacht?
A: Well, not exactly, I... It is rented.
Q: And the crew?
A: What about the crew?
Q: Do you think you had enough crew for such travel?
A: I think so. Well, the captain was responsible for hiring the people he needed.
Q: He said for such cruise, he should have at least five crew members.
A: Well, you know what Italians are like. Every single one of them has a dozen of cousins that are looking for a job, if I would agree to hire everyone he wanted, I would end up with half of a village he came from.
Q: Ok, so you took a rented yacht with insufficient crew for a cruise you had no permission to organize... What happened next?
A: Everything was going well on the way to Ustica. The passengers were served a light dinner and some wine, the steward was taking care of them, but when the fog started...
Q: What happened when the fog started to build up?
A: I was giving the presentation for the passengers, you know, building up the atmosphere. My wife, who was seating at the far end of the veranda deck, stood up and went to the doors leading towards the aft deck. She said she saw something there and...
Q: And...?
A: I don’t really know what happened. I thought I saw some figure there...
Q: What kind of figure?
A: I’m not sure. A woman, I think.
Q: What happened then?
A: My wife screamed and fell to the floor. And then we all began to feel ill.
Q: In what way feel ill?
A: I was light-headed, some of the women were fainting, one of them was vomiting. Then (anonymised) fell to the ground and... I guess I lost consciousness at this point.
Q: When did you recover from this state?
A: When we were reaching Palermo.
Q: Do you have any idea what happened to you all?
A: No. Maybe some sort of mass hysteria. Or maybe there was something wrong with the food.
Q: Have you seen your wife while you were being transported to the hospital?
A: No.
Q: I’m afraid she didn’t make it.
A: What do you mean?
Q: She was found dead aboard "Ariadne" when the Coast Guard reached you. I’m sorry.
A: But... why? Why is everyone else fine...?
Q: That’s what we are trying to figure out.
A: Oh god... Well, she had a weak heart, but... I don’t understand that.
Q: In what way she had a weak heart?
A: She had an arrhythmia and was supposed to avoid stress.
Q: Then why she wanted to take part in this cruise since you think the place is haunted?
A: She knew it was all just a pile of nonsense for feeble-minded tourists. But she believed it can be a good business opportunity for us.
Q: What do you do for a living?
A: Right now nothing, that’s why I was preparing this business.
Q: And your wife?
A: She didn’t work, she inherited some money in the United States when her sister died two years ago.
Q: Were you on the veranda deck the whole time?
A: Yes.
Q: And you never left it?
A: No. I mean, I went to the toilet at some point, but apart from that, no.
Q: When did you hire the crew?
A: Two days ago.
Q: Why such short notice?
A: I had an agreement with a different captain, but at the last minute he dropped out.
29-10-1967 08:15
police officer
Q: Can you describe what happened during the cruise?
A: When we left Palermo I was serving the guests the dinner and then some drinks.
Q: So you spent the whole time on the veranda deck?
A: Almost, I was preparing the meals in the galley.
Q: Were you at any point on the bridge?
A: Yes, I took coffee for the captain.
Q: When was that?
A: Shortly before the went into the fog.
Q: And on the aft deck?
A: No, usually a second steward takes care of the aft deck, but he had a small crew during this trip. I was too busy dealing with the passengers on the veranda deck to also check the aft.
Q: Why was that?
A: The yacht owner wanted to cut down the costs.
Q: What happened before midnight?
A: I’m not sure. I was in the galley when I heard a scream. When I entered the veranda deck one woman was lying on the floor at the door to the aft deck and two others were fainting. (anonymised), I think, was vomiting close to the back.
Q: Have you noticed anything else?
A: I... I’m not sure. Just before I passed out, I think I saw someone on the aft deck.
Q: Who?
A: I’m not even sure if I really saw someone, but... I guess it was a figure of a woman.
Q: Do you have any idea why you passed out?
A: No, just the moment I entered the veranda deck I felt woozy. And the smell...
Q: What smell?
A: I don’t know how to describe it. It was just some odd smell.
Q: Do you know the captain long?
A: Yes, about eight years.
Q: He hired you and the mechanic?
A: Yes, we often work together.
Q: Do you know anything about the yacht owner?
A: Not really, I met him the first time when he boarded "Ariadne" that day.
Q: And what do you think of the yacht?
A: I would say it is way past its prime.
Q: Have you noticed anything unusual about the passengers?
A: Apart from taking a trip to see ghosts on a small island in a thick fog? No.
Q: Did any of them left the veranda deck during the trip?
A: Not that I noticed.
Q: You were with them the whole time?
A: Yes. Of course when I wasn’t in the galley where I was preparing the meals.
