Man Released on Bail After Cruise Ship Murder Inquiry

A man arrested in connection with a murder investigation on a cruise ship has been released on bail.

The incident involved the death of a 60-year-old man from West Sussex in the UK, who died following a reported altercation about two-and-a-half hours after MSC Virtuosa departed Southampton on Saturday evening.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary confirmed that a 57-year-old man from Exeter, Devon, was taken into custody on suspicion of murder. He was released on bail Tuesday afternoon.

Police are appealing for witnesses and are particularly keen to speak with anyone who was on board the MSC Virtuosa, which departed Southampton at 18:00 BST on Saturday for a two-night trip to Bruges, Belgium, and returned at 06:00 on Monday.

In a statement, MSC Cruises 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 and thoughts are with the family and friends at this difficult time."

Authorities have confirmed that the victim’s next of kin have been informed and are receiving support from specialist officers.

The MSC Virtuosa, operated by MSC Cruises, can accommodate up to 6,334 guests.