4 months prison sentence, 3 years probation for prank - dropping cruise ship anchor

[Flash Bazbo]

39. You have to balance security with the need for emergency access.

The ability to drop the anchors is critical in ensuring the safety of a ship. To secure them so tightly that only a few of the crew have access to the controls compromises that ability should those few be incapacitated or unavailable in emergency situations; and when emergencies happen they happen fast.

I've never been on a commercial cruise ship but can't imagine the deck holding the anchor winches is normally accessible by passengers. I have participated in dropping the anchor of a large ship. The potential insurance liability of letting passengers near a couple tons of flying anchor chain as it pays out would be a shipowners nightmare. As to how this clown got access to the winches let me remind you to never underestimate the resolve of a drunken dillweed.