
Suspect bailed as police investigation into cruise ship death continues
A force spokesman said that a 57-year-old man from Exeter, Devon, who was arrested on suspicion of murder, has now been released while the investigation continues.
He said: 'Officers are continuing their inquiries into the death of a 60-year-old man from West Sussex on board the MSC Virtuosa, which happened around 8.30pm on Saturday (May 3).
'A 57-year-old man arrested as part of our inquiries has been released on bail.
'We remain keen to hear from anyone who was aboard the ship, which had departed Southampton around 6pm on Saturday and was still in British waters at the time.'
The ship returned from Belgium to Southampton, Hampshire, on Monday.
It is understood that the deceased had been part of a stag party on board the ship.
The MSC Virtuosa is operated by MSC Cruises and has a capacity of 6,334 guests.
It was used for the filming of the Channel 5 crime drama The Good Ship Murder starring Shayne Ward and Catherine Tyldesley.
And in October 2024, a woman died after going overboard from the 331-metre cruise ship while off the Channel Islands.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Michele Bourda: Missing persons expert says Greek police must do two important things now
British woman Michele Ann Joy Bourda was last seen over a fortnight ago on a sunbed on a Greek beach, with her belongings still there when she went missing The chances of finding missing Michele Ann Joy Bourda are decreasing by the day, and Greek police must act fast with two important steps to solve the mystery, according to a leading expert. On the afternoon of August 1, Michele's husband, Christos Bourda, dozed off on a sunbed on Ofrynio Beach in Greece. When he awoke, Michele, who had been sunning herself on the lounger next to him, was nowhere to be seen. Her belongings, including her clothes and bag, remained next to her chair. The 59-year-old Brit's whereabouts remain a mystery, and investigators continue to pore over clues as to what could have happened. Michele's loved ones have spent the last couple of weeks in turmoil as they hope and pray for her safe return. As the search continues into its third week, Charlie Hedges MBE, who is acknowledged as one of the UK's foremost experts on missing persons, explained that the longer someone is missing, the less likely they are to be found alive. "This is tempered by the circumstances of the disappearance, their personal circumstances and medical history, and what has happened to them," he told The Mirror. "Without more detailed knowledge of the circumstances it is very hard to say what may have happened and whether or not she is alive." The former police sergeant explained that Greek authorities should be conducting a thorough investigation into what may have caused her to go missing, including her medical history, her relationship with her husband, anything that may have happened to her while she was away, and whether there any reasons for her to want to disappear. "From this, they should be able to assess whether this is likely to be an accident, any third party involvement or a conscious act on her part." A major land and sea search was launched following Michele's disappearance, with three recreational craft, five fishing boats and two patrol boats scouring the coastline, but no trace has been found. The Hellenic Coast Guard and local police have also searched farmland, houses and a large reservoir in the surrounding area. "The exact nature of any searches should be based on information they have about the disappearance and what resources are available in that area," Mr Hedges said. "There are two obvious search areas - the sea and the land. Both are very different types of environment, requiring different search resources and methods of searching. "Local knowledge, tide patterns, currents, wind etc will be a factor in trying to determine what would happen to someone in the sea in that particular location. Searches would initially be from boats and possibly from the air. The terrain may lead to the use of sub-aqua searches and/or deployment of sonar detectors. Again, much will depend on what is known and what resources are available. "On land, this will depend on the terrain but foot searches and drones could be used to search for clues or traces of what may have happened. These should be based on a structured search pattern to ensure that nothing is missed. "The police will conduct some searches and they may engage volunteer search teams and maritime units to assist. They may also consider search dogs. Exact numbers needed are hard to assess without being on the ground." After reports that Michele was last spotted swimming in deep water, Mr Hedges noted that the sea is a challenging environment for searches, which depend hugely on wind, tide and currents. He added: "There may be some advantage to be had from the potential clarity of the water, providing better visibility for searchers. All searches should start from the point last seen and radiate out based on what information is known or comes to light regarding the disappearance. "When to stop searching is a difficult decision but will be based on what is known about the disappearance and estimates of survivability before it becomes a search for a body, not a live person."


Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Brit comic breaks silence on Turkey Zara shoplifting arrest hell
Cerys Nelmes, who works as a stand-up comic in Bristol, is facing a minimum of one-year in prison after she was caught leaving a Zara in Turkey with unpaid items A British comic has broken her silence after being arrested in Turkey for allegedly stealing three items from Zara. Mum-of-one Cerys Nelmes could be sent to a Turkish prison for three years after she was accused of thieving clothes from the Istanbul store on July 22. Police have prohibited Cerys from leaving the country while the claims are investigated. Footage has since emerged of the stand-up comedian first browsing the store with an armful of clothes on hangers and other items in her backpack. She is then seen leaving the store while clearly distracted by her phone. She claims that she completely forgot she was carrying items that she hadn't paid for. She has now taken to Instagram to share details of how she is being treated as a suspect in a criminal case abroad, claiming she's been "left to fend for myself" and hit with a huge £6,500 bill in legal costs. She said: "As much as I love the fact that most people in the UK are thinking that I'm being treated over here exactly like foreign citizens in the UK are treated, that is not the case! "I have been left to fend for myself. The only people helping me have been friends and family. I currently owe over £6500 for a lawyer, interpreters, change of power of attorney, a bed to sleep in and food for breakfast. My country are not helping me whatsoever. And let's remember, it was 3 items, one of which has since been paid for. "I'm currently being held here until the trial. No one knows when that is. The minimum I will get is one year in prison. The maximum is 3 years. For less than £100 in value. I will tell my story when I eventually get home. There's more to it than people think." Cerys previously said she returned to the store without argument over the forgotten 6,000 lira (£110)-worth of clothing still in her backpack. But she told her social media followers she was then detained and locked in a room for hours with no explanation. From there, she was taken to a police station and said she was pressured to sign documents in a language she could not read. She was released on probation by a judge after 24 hours in a holding cell, allegedly with no food, water or loo. She has since been released but has been forbidden from leaving the country and is being put up by a local family as she does not have the money for an extended stay. The police investigation is ongoing. "I was told they didn't understand me," said Nelmes. The next day, she was brought before a judge who released her but banned her from leaving the country. She now faces a potential three-year sentence as the case proceeds. Ms Nelmes says she is stranded in Turkey, unable to afford accommodation and missing out on work back home, putting her and her son at risk of losing their UK home. She said: "I'm ok and have been taken in by a Turkish family who gave me food and a bed. I don't deserve all the kind words from people but I am very grateful." On her website it states of her career: "Cerys has worked very hard to forge a strong career in the comedy industry. She is a leading mc on the comedy circuit, working for major UK clubs and UK charity events. Cerys has a fantastic stage presence and her audience interaction is flawless."


Glasgow Times
5 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Tesco and Asda suspend supplies from pig farm over 'cruelty'
The brands said they have stopped doing business with Somerby Top Farm in Lincolnshire, which is run by British meat producer Cranswick. This comes after a report from the Mail on Sunday claimed that staff members at the farm would 'hit pigs with boards, paddles and their fists, deliberately targeting areas such as their snout and eyes'. It also alleged that welfare checks would ignore 'visible injuries and suffering, with one inspection of 1,000 pigs lasting just 90 seconds', as well as 'multiple botched killings of lame piglets'. Tesco and Asda suspend supplies from British pig farm over reports of animal cruelty The covert filming at the farm took place over a period of 10 months and was carried out by the animal rights group Animal Justice Project. It was reported that some of the 'most severe abuse' was inflicted on animals two weeks after the farm was audited by the food assurance scheme Red Tractor. However, Red Tractor has said Somerby Top Farm's certification has now been suspended with immediate effect following the 'deeply distressing' footage. It added that it has now referred the case to the UK Government's animal welfare regulator, the Animal and Plant Health Agency. A Tesco spokesperson said: 'We take animal welfare extremely seriously and expect all our suppliers to adhere to our high welfare standards. 'We were shocked by this footage, and we have immediately suspended the farm in question. 'Our specialist agriculture team is working with the supplier to carry out a full investigation.' Asda said it had 'immediately suspended supply' from the farm after the supermarket was made aware of the claims. In a statement, Red Tractor said: 'This footage is deeply distressing. Red Tractor is taking this clear breach of animal welfare standards extremely seriously. 'The farm's Red Tractor certification has been suspended with immediate effect, and a full investigation is underway. 'Red Tractor is conducting a thorough review of both current and historical footage, compliance and staffing on the farm. The farm will remain unassured if Red Tractor is not satisfied our standards are met. 'It's important to note that this footage was taken between May 2024 and January 2025, with evidence and allegations only being presented to Red Tractor in August 2025. 'This delay is concerning and suggests that these activists have prioritised ideology over protecting animal welfare. 'Red Tractor provides a free anonymous whistle-blowing service and we actively encourage anyone with concerns to raise these so that we can investigate immediately.' A spokesperson for Cranswick said: 'The health and welfare of our pigs is our highest priority, and we were horrified to see this unacceptable historic footage, filmed at Somerby Top farm. 'As with the North Moor Farm footage, released in May 2025, the content was recorded several months ago but has only very recently been shared with us. 'We find the treatment of the pigs in the footage distressing to watch, and we apologise unreservedly for this lapse in our standards. It does not in any way reflect the operating practices at our farms today. Recommended Reading: 'Since May, we have been implementing major changes across all of our farming businesses to address the challenges raised within the footage. 'We have changed the management team at these farms, and staff shown in the footage no longer work for the business. We have recruited five new full-time welfare officers. 'All of our farm colleagues have been retrained in livestock handling, with a strong focus on animal health and welfare. We are currently installing AI-enabled CCTV at all of our indoor farms to enable us to monitor the health of our pigs and the behaviour of our colleagues, in real time, to ensure our exacting standards are consistently met.'