▁became ▁the ▁flags hip ▁of ▁their ▁fleet ▁of ▁six ▁vessels . ▁ ▁L oss ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 4 ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Fant ome ▁depart ed ▁the ▁har bor ▁of ▁O mo a ▁in ▁H ond uras ▁for ▁a ▁planned ▁six - day ▁cru ise . ▁ ▁H urr icane ▁Mitch , ▁then ▁over ▁ ▁away ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁Sea , ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁pose ▁a ▁risk ▁to ▁J ama ica ▁and ▁possibly ▁the ▁Y uc at án ▁Pen ins ula . ▁Captain ▁Gu yan ▁March ▁decided ▁to ▁play ▁it ▁safe ▁by ▁heading ▁for ▁the ▁Bay ▁Islands ▁and ▁wait ▁for ▁the ▁storm ▁to ▁pass . ▁ ▁By ▁dawn ▁on ▁the ▁following ▁day , ▁however , ▁Mitch ▁seemed ▁to ▁change ▁course . ▁ ▁Fant ome ▁immediately ▁changed ▁course ▁for ▁Bel ize ▁City , ▁where ▁it ▁dis emb ark ed ▁all ▁of ▁her ▁passengers ▁and ▁non - ess ential ▁crew ▁members . ▁ ▁The ▁sch oon er ▁then ▁depart ed ▁Bel ize ▁City , ▁first ▁heading ▁north ▁towards ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁Mexico , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁out run ▁the ▁storm . ▁ ▁Storm ▁predictions ▁proved ▁extremely ▁difficult , ▁as ▁the ▁ste ering ▁curr ents ▁in ▁H urr icane ▁Mitch ▁were ▁very ▁weak . ▁ ▁When ▁word ▁reached ▁Fant ome ▁that ▁Mitch ▁would ▁most ▁likely ▁hit ▁the ▁Y uc at án ▁before ▁she ▁could ▁get ▁out ▁of ▁harm ' s ▁way , ▁March ▁changed ▁course ▁for ▁the ▁south . ▁It ▁was ▁too ▁early ▁to ▁know ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁heading