Holiday cruise turned into nightmare for thousands of cruise ship passengers at Ft. Lauderdale airport after a gunman started shooting at people in the Terminal 2 luggage claim area. The 26-year-old former soldier serving in Iraq, Esteban Santiago, killed 5 and wounded 6 people. Authorities have not released the names of the victims, however news media are reporting that at least four of the five people killed were vacationers heading for a Caribbean cruise holiday.
Terry Andres, from Milville, NJ was one of the people killed at Fort Lauderdale airport on Friday. Terry and his wife Ann Andres, flew to Fort Lauderdale to celebrate his 62nd birthday. They were ready to go on a 16-day Caribbean Southern Adventurer cruise on the Caribbean Princess cruise ship when the shooter ended his life at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport.
Olga Woltering. 84-year-old from Marietta, Georgia, a kind and loving member of Transfiguration Catholic Church was among the victims. Mrs. Woltering and her husband Ralph were going on a cruise with their entire family. Woltering Family released a statement saying “Olga Woltering was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and good friend to many. She, along with our father Ralph, is the cornerstone of our family, and while she's absent in our lives now, she remains in our hearts, thoughts, and memories for ever. Her bright smile and loving manner will be missed by all who had the fortune to know her. She rarely seemed to meet a stranger, rather she had a smile or a hug for all. She was a blessing in the lives of family and friends.”
Shirley Timmons, 70-year-old from Ohio was shot dead and her husband critically injured in the head during the attack, confirmed their grandson Steve Reineccius. The couple needed to join the rest of the family to celebrate their 51st wedding anniversary on a cruise ship departing from Port Everglades.
Michael Oehme, 57-year-old from Iowa was an avid cruise traveler. Together with his wife they were looking forward on another cruise vacation to the Caribbean. The gunman shot dead Mr. Oehme, while his wife Kari, was wounded in the shoulder and is expected to recover.
On Friday, January 6, two cruise ships docked at Port Everglades.
Holland America Line cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam departure was postponed from originally scheduled 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. in order to accommodate late-arriving passengers.
Princess Cruises ship Caribbean Princess sailed from Port Everglades at 9:40 p.m. instead the originally scheduled departure at 4 p.m. According to a Cruise Critic forum member 112 cruise ship passengers didn’t boarded on Caribbean Princess.
