Crew Screening at Bremerhaven Ends in Police Arrest

What began as a routine crew clearance at a German cruise terminal led to an unexpected arrest when federal police detained a man about to start his first cruise ship contract.

German media reported that officers arrested a 26-year-old man on January 4, 2025, at the port of Bremerhaven.

The individual had arrived at the cruise terminal to undergo standard departure checks ahead of joining a cruise ship bound for the Bahamas, where he was due to begin work as a crew member. During a routine identity verification, police discovered that the man was subject to two outstanding arrest warrants.

Authorities confirmed that the warrants had been issued by the District Court of Augsburg and the District Court of Nördlingen. One related to a robbery case, while the second concerned a breach of probation conditions connected to an earlier assault conviction.

Federal police detained the man at the terminal before transferring him to state police in Bremerhaven. He was later brought before a judge in accordance with German legal requirements.

The name of the cruise ship the man was scheduled to join has not been disclosed, and officials have not released additional information regarding his planned employment.