Latest news with #Virtuosa
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Traitors winner was on luxury cruise where grandad, 60, died in 'stag do fight'
Beloved grandad James Messham, 60, was reportedly on a stag do when he was killed in an "altercation" after the MSC Virtuosa set sail from Southampton for a two-night mini-cruise A winner from popular television show the Traitors was onboard a luxury cruise ship where a grandad was killed during an alleged stag do brawl. Fans of Harry Clark, who won the BBC show last year, told how they had met the TV star hours before "carnage" unfolded on the MSC Virtuosa on Saturday evening. Beloved grandad James Messham, 60, was reportedly on a stag do when he died following an "altercation" after the ship set sail from Southampton for a two-night mini-cruise. The Virtuosa was still in British waters when he died, so it turned back and docked in Southampton, where Hampshire Police boarded and arrested a 57-year-old man on suspicion of murder. He was released on bail on Tuesday. Passenger Lynda Hardiman-Pearce said she had met the Traitors star before witnessing the violence. "It was carnage on the ship there were a lot of people drinking a lot. I thought I was a party animal until I saw this lot. People were jolly but it was a bit like a modern Wild West with stag and hen dos everywhere," she told the Metro. "Harry from Traitors was on board with a big group of family but they were low key and just having a nice time together. Harry was lovely, a very nice guy." Mr Clark was said to be "very shocked and saddened" by the death and was "thinking of the individual's family and friends:, the Sun reports. Lynda said she first realised something was wrong when a man tried to push in front of her at the bar. "The bloke said 'I'm sorry but I need to get my son a drink. He's an army medic and he just gave CPR to a man but he didn't make it'. It was a shock but I just assumed it was natural causes, staff didn't say anything to us or anything. "Later on the cruise, a woman said a bloke who she had been dancing with in a group had died. She was very shocked I think the guy who died was on a stag do. The whole experience was like a nightmare, just really surreal," Lynda added. "The atmosphere on board was happy but it was chaos with half drunk drinks everywhere. It was not exactly the luxury experience promised!" Reports suggested the men involved in the incident were part of a party of 20. Police enquiries are ongoing, and passengers who may have witnessed the incident are being urged to come forward with any information. A Hampshire Constabulary spokesperson 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." A spokesperson for 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."
Daily Record
08-05-2025
- Daily Record
MSC Virtuosa cruise ship 'murder' victim named after death on stag do
James Messham, 60, was reportedly on a stag do when he was killed in an "altercation" on the MSC Virtuosa. A cruise ship passenger who died after a fight broke out on board has been named as a "lovely" grandad. James Messham, 60, was reportedly on a stag do when he was killed in an "altercation" on the MSC Virtuosa. The ship set sail from Southampton on Saturday evening for a two-night mini cruise. It was still in British waters when the man died. Following the incident, the boat u-turned and docked in Southampton, where Hampshire Police boarded and arrested a 57-year-old man on suspicion of murder. He was released on bail on Tuesday. Police enquiries are ongoing, and passengers who may have witnessed the incident are being urged to come forward with any information. The Mirror reports that Mr Messham was with family members who helped him run the Wall of Death, a popular motorcycle stunt show, when he died. Friends and family have paid tribute to the "lovely gentleman" online, saying Mr Messham was a "great racer" and "one of the best". Passenger Lynda Hardiman-Pearce, who was on board the ship for the trip to Zebrugge said there were several hen and stag do parties onboard "causing havoc". She told the Southern Daily Echo: 'The cruise was full of hen and stag parties causing chaos.' She added that a man on board 'told me his son was an army medic and had tried to help by doing CPR on a guy that had collapsed but unfortunately couldn't revive him. Apparently, the man was on a stag do.' Reports suggested the men involved in the incident were part of a party of 20. Staff on board the MSC Virtuosa are continuing to "cooperate fully" with authorities as the investigation continues. The MSC Virtuosa returned from Belgium to Southampton on Monday. The vessel is operated by MSC Cruises and has a capacity of 6,334 guests. A spokesperson for 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." A Hampshire Constabulary spokesperson 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 Maltese-flagged vessel, built in France in 2020, measures 332m (1,089ft) long and boasts 18 decks, accommodation for up to 6,334 passengers and 1,704 crew. Virtuosa was due to arrive in Southampton at 6:15am and depart at 8pm. The ship also boasts a 4D cinema, bowling lanes, a casino, a game arcade, and a Formula 1 simulator. Passengers can also visit a theatre hosting Broadway-style productions, as well as a lounge featuring Carousel Productions at Sea shows.
Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
MSC Virtuosa cruise ship 'murder' victim killed on stag do named as 'lovely gentleman'
A cruise ship passenger who died after a fight broke out just hours after the vessel left port was a "lovely" grandfather who ran a motorcycle stunt show. James Messham, 60, was reportedly on a stag do when he was killed in an "altercation" on the MSC Virtuosa, which set sail from Southampton on Saturday evening for a two-night mini cruise. The ship was still in British waters when the man died, so the Virtuosa turned back and docked in Southampton, where Hampshire Police boarded and arrested a 57-year-old man on suspicion of murder. He was released on bail on Tuesday. Police enquiries are ongoing, and passengers who may have witnessed the incident are being urged to come forward with any information. Mr Messham was with family members who helped him run the Wall of Death, a popular motorcycle stunt show, when he died, the Sun reports. Friends and family have paid tribute to the "lovely gentleman" online, saying Mr Messham was a "great racer" and "one of the best". Passenger Lynda Hardiman-Pearce, who was on board the ship for the trip to Zebrugge said there were several hen and stag do parties onboard "causing havoc". She told the Southern Daily Echo: 'The cruise was full of hen and stag parties causing chaos.' She added that a man on board 'told me his son was an army medic and had tried to help by doing CPR on a guy that had collapsed but unfortunately couldn't revive him. Apparently, the man was on a stag do.' Reports suggested the men involved in the incident were part of a party of 20. Staff on board the MSC Virtuosa are continuing to "cooperate fully" with authorities as the investigation continues. The MSC Virtuosa returned from Belgium to Southampton on Monday. The vessel is operated by MSC Cruises and has a capacity of 6,334 guests. A spokesperson for 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." A Hampshire Constabulary spokesperson 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 Maltese-flagged vessel, built in France in 2020, measures 332m (1,089ft) long and boasts 18 decks, accommodation for up to 6,334 passengers and 1,704 crew. Virtuosa was due to arrive in Southampton at 6:15am and depart at 8pm. The ship also boasts a 4D cinema, bowling lanes, a casino, a game arcade, and a Formula 1 simulator. Passengers can also visit a theatre hosting Broadway-style productions, as well as a lounge featuring Carousel Productions at Sea shows.
Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
MSC Virtuosa 'murder': Emergency 'call for help' blasted as man 'on stag do' killed in 'fight'
The MSC Virtuosa set sail from Southampton for a two-night mini cruise to Bruges in Belgium - but hours in, a brawl reportedly broke out, resulting in the death of a man aged in his 60s A Brit onboard a mini-cruise at the centre of a murder probe has described the moment an urgent call for help was issued onboard after a man in his 60s was allegedly killed during a stag-do brawl over the weekend. Laura May Matthews, who was on the MSC Virtuosa cruise with her husband, said staff bravely sprung into action and erected a huge sheet along the deck - seemingly to shield the man from view - before an ambulance appeared at the bottom of a gangplank. She told the Mirror: "My husband and I were sat in the Sky Lounge overlooking the deck 15 area when we heard the emergency call for medical assistance on deck 15. Shortly after that, we saw staff members valiantly trying to shelter off a section on deck 15 despite the inclement weather. A huge sheet was held up to prevent people seeing or passing on the starboard side. It went on for some time then was just removed." Laura said an ambulance then parked up at the bottom of a gangplank in Zebrugge on Sunday morning upon disembarkation. She added: "It remained for some time, watched as we had breakfast, but with no obvious movement. During Saturday and Sunday, polite yet firm 'requests' were made over the public request system for a number of people to attend the public relations office. "Monday morning saw a number of different people respond to these requests as we sat drinking coffee at the Infinity Cafe," Laura said. "The security people meeting them seemed professional and at times took people away. At this time we did not know what had happened. We assumed someone had died but no murder." The MSC Virtuosa set sail from Southampton on Saturday evening for a two-night mini cruise to Bruges in Belgium, but hours in, an altercation is said to have broken out, resulting in the death of the victim, aged in his 60s. Since the ship was still in British waters when the man died, the Virtuosa turned back and docked in Southampton, where Hampshire Police boarded and arrested a 57-year-old man on suspicion of murder. The man, who is yet to be named, has now been released on bail, police said. MSC Virtuosa offers guests trips to destinations like the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and Norway for up to £2,000 per person. Hampshire Police said the man died on the cruise ship following an altercation at around 8.30pm on Saturday May 3, shortly after the ship left Southampton. His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist police officers. A passenger of the cruise ship believes the man was on a stag do, and an 'army medic' tried to save him by doing CPR. Lynda Hardiman-Pearce was onboard MSC Virtuosa when the incident unfolded shortly after the ship left Southampton at 6pm. Ms Hardiman-Pearce, who runs a catering business in Southampton, said there were "hen and stag parties causing chaos" on the boat. She added that she was on the ship for a trip to Zeebrugge in Belgium, and returned to Southampton this morning. Ms Hardiman-Pearce said: "On Saturday night we were in a bar onboard and I was chatting to someone whilst waiting to be served He told me his son was an army medic and had tried to help by doing CPR on a guy that had collapsed but unfortunately couldn't revive him. Apparently, the [man] was on a stag do." She described seeing five police officers at Southampton Docks when she disembarked on Monday (5th) morning. Ms Hardiman-Pearce added: "The cruise was full of hen and stag parties causing chaos. Since getting home we talked to our family, and they all said it didn't sound like any cruise they had been on." Speaking on Monday (5th), Detective Chief Inspector Matt Gillooly, the Senior Investigating Officer, said: "We want to reassure you that this appears to be an isolated incident on-board, and 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." A spokesperson for MSC Cruises, which owns and operates the cruise ship MSC Virtuosa, 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."
Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
MSC Vertuosa cruise ship 'murder': Everything we know after man, 60, killed during 'fight'
A passenger in his 60s died during a reported fight aboard the Virtuosa just hours after it left port - before the ship returned to Southampton, where Hampshire Police boarded and arrested the suspect A 57-year-old man from Exeter is being held on suspicion of murder after a passenger in his 60s died during a reported fight aboard a cruise ship just hours after it left port. The incident unfolded on the MSC Virtuosa, which set sail from Southampton on Saturday evening for a two-night mini cruise. An altercation is said to have broken out on board shortly after departure, resulting in the death of the victim, aged in his 60s. The ship was still in British waters when the man died, so the Virtuosa turned back and docked in Southampton, where Hampshire Police boarded and arrested the suspect. The victim's next of kin have been informed and are receiving support from specialist officers. Police enquiries are ongoing, and passengers who may have witnessed the incident are being urged to come forward with any information. The exact circumstances of the man's death remain under investigation, but here's everything we know so far. What happened? A man in his 60s died following an altercation on the MSC Vertuosa at around 8.30pm on Saturday night. Hampshire Police have launched a homicide investigation and arrested a 57-year-old man from Exeter on suspicion of murder. The force said: "A homicide investigation has been launched following the death of a man in his 60s on the MSC Virtuosa on Saturday. It was reported that at around 8.30pm on 3 May, the victim died following an altercation. His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers. "As part of our enquiries, a 57-year-old man from Exeter has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody at this time. Anyone with information surrounding the circumstances of the incident are urged to contact Hampshire Constabulary." Who was arrested? A 57-year-old man, from Exeter, Devon, has been arrested by Hampshire Police and remains in custody. In an update released on Tuesday, the force said they are continuing to question the man following Saturday night's incident. What ship did the man die on? The man died on board the MSC Virtuosa. He is the second person to die on the luxury ship in the last eight months. In October, a woman died after going overboard the 18-deck ship bound for Southampton. A large search and rescue effort was launched in the dead of the night, with spotlights used to light up the sea in a bid to find the missing passenger, witnesses told the Mirror. The MSC Virtuosa raised the alarm at 12.55am on October 12, with the ship letting off "three loud blasts" and the captain announcing there was a "man overboard" - forcing the ship to slow down and crews to launch the major search across the north of Les Casquets rocks, west of Alderney. A witness said at the time: "They announced that they have a missing person and their thoughts and prayers are with the family, and that they are slowing the ship and we will be delayed getting to Southampton." Man was 'killed' during stag-do 'chaos' Unconfirmed witness reports suggest the man may have been killed whilst on a stag do when "chaos" broke out. Passenger Lynda Hardiman-Pearce told MailOnline there were several hen and stag do parties onboard "causing havoc". She added: "On Saturday night we were in a bar onboard and I was chatting to someone whilst waiting to be served. Apparently, the [man] was on a stag do. "The cruise was full of hen and stag parties causing chaos. Since getting home we talked to our family, and they all said it didn't sound like any cruise they had been on." Reports suggested the men involved in the incident were part of a party of 20. Death was an 'isolated incident on-board' A Senior Investigating Officer from Hampshire Police said Saturday's death was an "isolated incident", meaning it does not indicate a broader issue or pose a significant threat to the community. Detective Chief Inspector Matt Gillooly said: "We want to reassure you that this appears to be an isolated incident on-board, and we want to thank the crew for their cooperation and assistance with our enquiries." Statement from cruise company Staff on board the MSC Vertuosa are continuing to "cooperate fully" with authorities as the investigation continues. A spokesperson for 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."
