Couple lost overboard were seen arguing in cruise ship casino

//Couple lost overboard were seen arguing in cruise ship casino

schroder_rossington.jpgThe couple who went overboard from a cruise ship off the coast of Australia had been arguing shortly before they disappeared, according to the latest reports.
Paul Rossington, 30, and his girlfriend Kristen Schroder, 27, were seen having a “short but heated argument” in the casino on board Carnival Spirit, a senior police source has said.
As a result of the incident, the couple skipped dinner with Ms Schroder’s family. But they were seen “mucking around” in a corridor on their way to a lift, giving the impression they were no longer quarrelling, according to the Herald Sun.
The couple went overboard from their cabin balcony about 65 feet above the sea at 8.50 pm but it was not until disembarkation the following morning in Sydney that the family realized they were missing, and police were called.
CCTV footage shows Ms Schroder climbing over the railing and standing on the outside of it, facing towards the sea. Police have not said how long she stood there and have been unable to determine whether she intended to jump or simply fell.
Another CCTV camera is said to have captured her body hitting a lifeboat before she entered the water.
Mr Rossington, a paramedic, was not caught on CCTV footage at the moment she went over, but can be seen following her overboard a few moments later.
A search of 500 square miles of the Tasman Sea has been called off.
The families of Rossington and Schroder have thanked emergency services for their efforts to find the couple.
Ms Schroder’s brother-in-law, Sascha Percuoco, took to Facebook to say: “I want to make one thing absolutey clear … neither of them had been drinking and I do not for one minute believe Kristen would take her own life.
“She was up on that railing (for reasons only her and Paul will know) when she lost her grip and slipped. I believe Paul jumped in to save her without having a chance to think clearly and call for help. R.I.P. Beautiful Girl.”
A statement released by Carnival Cruise Lines said: ‘As part of our standard protocol, a full ship search was conducted as well as examination of closed circuit video. There is indication from the shipboard video of what transpired.
“There is no evidence of foul play. However, out of respect for the families, we are not going to publicly disclose the details of what occurred.”

By | 2017-06-15T15:59:33+00:00 12 May 2013|Cruise News|0 Comments

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John Honeywell is a travel writer specialising in cruise ships and cruise travel. Winner of CLIA UK's Contribution to Cruise award 2017.

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