Ruan Irving made quite the entrance on Below Deck Mediterranean’s premiere episode of Season 8. He hardly got a foot in the door before his documents were questioned. Additionally, his Yacht Masters certification was flagged as a forgery. Captain Sandy Yawn had to follow maritime law and leave the shortest reigning bosun in Below Deck history at the docks.
Accordingly, Ruan took to social media to share his side of the story. Naturally, there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for everything.
Ruan thinks he was “scammed”
The South African native started by thanking “everyone involved and that made it happen!”
Ruan then addressed suggestions that he orchestrated a situation that would make a quit exit off the yacht believable.
The Explanation
“For the peeps saying I faked a friends death just to get off the show cos of the certificate problem you have some serious issues. You don’t play with death,” he wrote.
Then came the long-winded explanation as to why Ruan was not carrying his originals.
“All my original hard copies were in South Africa,” he explained. “I never travel with them that’s why I get certified copies made! Now the show had copies of certified copies. Because I sent them copies as requested (nobody ever asked for the originals till MCA came on board). After the show, I flew to Cape Town and I got my certificates and sent the show a video with all originals.”
He then addressed the seemingly forged Yacht Masters certification. During the episode, Captain Sandy grew highly suspicious when she scanned Ruan’s papers and another person’s face came up.
“Now the yacht master that was the main issue, it was through a guy that worked at the school. I had done my yacht masters 5 years or so ago with who I contacted and asked to extend my expiry date because of the show etc! I paid a fee and I got sent a back and front copy of the yacht masters with new expiry date. The show started. And then MCA discovered if you scan the barcode it comes up with someone else’s name and picture. Was I scammed? Most probably!!” Ruan stated.
“It’s been a year since the show and all my certificates have been updated and originals are always on me. Lesson learned,” he finished his post.
Catch Below Deck Mediterranean Mondays at 9/8c on Bravo.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED WITH THE DOCUMENTS? DOES RUAN’S POST CHANGE YOUR OPINION?
