A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the holidaymaker died on board the MSC Virtuosa
MSC Virtuosa, part of the MSC Cruises fleet
Police have launched a murder probe after a 60-year-old man died on a cruise ship.
The holidaymaker’s death reportedly happened following a suspected fight on board the MSC Virtuosa at around 8.30pm on Saturday, May 3.
The ship, which was heading to Belgium, had left Southampton’s port just hours prior.
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MSC Virtuosa, part of the MSC Cruises fleet
A 57-yeart-old man from Exeter was arrested on suspicion of murder when the ship was forced to return to the port city.
He remained in custody today.
The holidaymaker’s next of kin have been informed and were being supported by specialist police officers.
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Detective Chief Inspector Matt Gillooly of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said: “We want to reassure you that this appears to be an isolated incident on board.
“We want to thank the crew for their cooperation and assistance with our enquiries.
“If anyone who was on board has information that could assist, please contact Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary on 101 with reference 44250193676.”
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The BBC reported that a spokesperson for MSC Cruises said it was “cooperating fully” with detectives.
In a statement, it said: “Following an incident on board our ship, the relevant authorities were contacted and we are cooperating fully with their investigations.
“We are providing full support to those impacted.”