Michael Nicholson
Cruise Ship Passenger Death
Journalist Covered Spirit of Adventure Attempted Pirate Attack Died December 11, 2016
Cruise Ship Passenger Deaths
Cruise Ship Crew Deaths
Cruise Ship Deaths
Cruise Ship Murder At Sea
Cruise Ship Person Overboard
Michael Nicholson
Cruise Ship Passenger Death
Journalist Covered Spirit of Adventure Attempted Pirate Attack Died December 11, 2016
Time of Death Unknown
Michael Nicholson, 79, a journalist and author from Grayswood, Haslemere, Surrey, United Kingdom, passed away on December 11, 2016 while on a cruise with his wife, Diana.
Mike married Diana Slater, a fellow graduate of Leicester University, in 1967.
Some of the highlights of his career included his coverage of wars in Nigeria, Beirut, Jordan, Cyprus, Congo, Israel, India/Pakistan, Rhodesia, Angola, the Falklands, the Gulf, Iraq, Bosnia and Croatia.
Nicholson and wife Diana were aboard Saga Cruises' 9,570-ton, 348-passenger Spirit of Adventure on January 13, 2011, when the cruise ship with 350 passengers and 200 crew aboard was pursued by pirates as they sailed from Madagascar to Zanzibar.
The 54-minute incident occurred as Spirit of Adventure travelled from Madagascar to Zanzibar. Passengers were having a black tie dinner when crew told them to leave their dinner behind and they were moved to a lounge in the center of the ship. The captain successfully outran the pirates and the passengers and crew were unharmed.