Scientologists Exposed to Blue Asbestos on Cruise Ship

A cruise ship known as the “MV Freewinds” is the traveling get-a-away for many of the scientologist elite and it was recently revealed it has cancer-causing blue asbestos in the ventilation system.

This cruise ship was once top secret and was the main training center for those seeking to rise to the high position of OT VII. This floating luxery ship was equipped with a gym, hospital, cinema, and disco. This was a place where scientologists paid thousands of dollars to attend courses, only to be exposed to the most lethal form of asbestos.

As of April 28, 2008, the MV Freewinds was sealed and quarantined at the Mathey warf in Otrabanda, Curacao. This, following the discovery of significant amounts of blue asbestos, was released into the ship’s ventilation system. The Curacao Drydock Company (CDM) was contracted to conduct refurbishment and repairs on the MV Freewinds, but immediately stopped work due to extreme risks.

The disturbing aspect to this mess is it sounds like some within the scientology community have known about the asbestos risks for 21 years. Lawrence Woodcraft, a former Scientologist and architect, claims that he encountered blue asbestos while working on the ship in 1987—according to a affidavit filed in 2001.

Church leaders did not consider asbestos to be a huge problem because Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard had declared fiberglass as dangerous, with no mention of asbestos in his writings. Scientologists teach an alternative process as the cause of cancer, emphasizing personal choice and problems with relationships.
Anyone who boarded the ship through the duration of those 21 years should know they’ve been exposed to the most lethal form of asbestos and should consult a doctor immediately to test for mesothelioma (the cancer resulting from asbestos exposure).

The following was released by the Church of Scientology. Unfortunately, they seem to be denying any wrong doing:

‘The Freewinds regularly inspects the air quality on board and always meets or exceeds US standards. Inspections done on April 15, 2008 and April 28, 2008 again confirmed that the air quality is safe, in accordance with the standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Clean Air Act.’

‘The Freewinds is currently undergoing a complete refit, including renovations of all cabins and accommodations facilities as well as upgrading all navigational and nautical safety equipment to meet or exceed future maritime codes scheduled for implementation in the year 2010. The true and accurate story is that the Freewinds is being restored to better than new condition and no expense has ever been spared in meeting the highest safety standards of any seagoing vessel. The Captain of the Freewinds is a highly respected officer who is known for his competence and for his dedication to safety at sea. He and the Freewinds have received numerous commendations from port authorities and other ships for the help they extended to the islands in ports of call, as well as the training of maritime students in maritime safety for which the Freewinds is renowned. The Freewinds will be completing its refit on schedule.’

By: Jesse Herman

This entry was posted on Friday, May 30th, 2008 at 3:01 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.