A 57-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the death of a 60-year-old man on a cruise ship.
The man died in what police said was an “isolated incident” after an altercation that took place two and a half hours after the cruise began while the vessel was still in British waters.
The ship, MSC Virtuosa, returned to Southampton, Hampshire, and police arrested a man from Exeter at the docks. He remains in police custody and detectives asked for people who were on board and had any information to contact them.
Hampshire police said: “The ship left Southampton at 6pm on Saturday 3 May. It was reported that at around 8.30pm, a 60-year-old man died following an altercation. His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
“As part of our inquiries, a 57-year-old man from Exeter has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody at this time.
DCI Matt Gillooly, the senior investigating officer, said: “We want to reassure you that this appears to be an isolated incident onboard, and we want to thank the crew for their cooperation and assistance with our inquiries.
A spokesperson for MSC Cruises, which owns and operates the ship, said: “Following an incident onboard our ship, the relevant authorities were contacted, and we are cooperating fully with their investigations. We are providing full support to those impacted.”
The ship had left Southampton heading on a two-day trip to Bruges. On a Facebook page for the vessel, the administrator said: “No one needs to speculate into an ongoing police investigation. Thoughts are with the family and friends affected.”
The ship, which the company bills as a ‘“masterpiece at sea”, can carry 6,334 guests and 1,704 crew members. There are 2,421 cabins. Its cruises include trips around Europe and the Caribbean.
It has four pools, capable of accommodating more than 1,000 guests, 21 bars and 11 dining rooms, including a new Indochine restaurant. The ship was officially named by the actor Sophia Loren.
Lynda Hardiman-Pearce, a passenger on the ship, said she saw five police officers at Southampton docks when she disembarked. She said the cruise was “full of hen and stag parties” and she had been told an army medic who was on board tried to help the man who died.
The police said: “If anyone who was onboard has information that could assist, please contact Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary on 101 with reference 44250193676.”
