A couple of German cruise passengers were injured in a robbery in downtown Recife (Brazil).
Married, the elderly are 79 and 81 years old.
They were on a cruise and got off the NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line ship to walk around the town.
One of the foreigners, according to the accident report, had been hit in the head with a blunt instrument, possibly a knife.
The incident took place on December 8th, on Avenida Dantas Barreto, close to the Church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo, in the neighborhood of Santo Antonio.
The Civil Police registered the case the following day, as "robbery from a passer-by".
According to information passed on to the police, the travelers were approached when they were taking pictures. The instrument that was used in the approach was not seized.
According to a witness report, a foreigner had suffered a cut on his head when he had been knocked down by one of the assailants. He had fallen and hit a step after being "trimmed". The fall had happened on the step of a snack bar, next to a green awning.
Identified as Wolfgang and Werner Duysen Gurkasch, the elderly couple was approached by at least 2 robbers, who took cell phones and glasses.
Wolfgang had superficial injuries while Werner had head injuries. In a serious condition, the foreigner was taken to Hospital Santa Joana, in the capital of Pernambuco.
On Monday, December 12th, Werner was still hospitalized. Wolfgang accompanied his companion in the health unit.
The health unit reported it had not obtained authorization to pass on information about the victim's updated health status.
In a statement, Port Recife said that it "regrets the incident that occurred with the German passenger on the Norwegian Star ship, Werner Duysen Gurkasch, who disembarked through the Maritime Passenger Terminal and was attacked near Avenida Dantas Barreto."
The NCL Star ship was concluding a 14-day Transatlantic voyage (RepositionCruises.com) from Lisbon to Rio De Janeiro (Nov 27 - Dec 11).
For more Norwegian Star incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.