15 May 2006 – The Philippine Embassy in London, United Kingdom reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that it is sending a consular officer and the Assistance to National Officer (ATN) to Southampton on 17 May 2006 to provide assistance to a Filipino seafarer who was detained and being investigated by Hampshire Police over the death of a fellow Filipino seafarer following a fight aboard the cruise ship Queen Mary 2.

Charge d’ Affaires, a.i. (CDA) and Consul General Mario de Leon informed the Department that the Queen Mary 2 is still at sea completing the scheduled cruise and is expected to dock at her home port in Southampton on 17 May 2006.

While waiting for the cruise ship to sail into the United Kingdom, CDA de Leon spoke with  Mr. Gallon Cessford, Sr., Investigation Officer and Deputy Superintendent of the Hampshire Police, on 14 May 2006 on the details of the incident.     Mr. Cessford informed CDA de Leon that the victim, a 40 years old OFW, sustained serious injuries in a fight below the deck of the Queen Mary 2 while on route to Norway  in the afternoon of 12 May 2006.   The OFW was airlifted from the ship and was on the way to a hospital in the northern coastal town of Groeningen in the Netherlands when he died.   A post mortem on the OFW is scheduled to be done in the Netherlands on 16 May 2006, Mr. Cessford said.

The alleged assailant, also an OFW who is 49 years old, has been detained on the ship by the captain under Section 105 of the UK Merchant Shipping Act.    Upon being informed by the captain of the incident, Mr. Cessford informed CDA de Leon that he sent 7 police officers (4 detectives and 3 crime scene investigators) to Norway around 6:00 a.m. of 13 May 2006.  The police investigators went on board the Queen Mary 2 in Bergen to investigate the incident because the ship is registered in Southampton.

While the Queen Mary Queen 2 is on route back to the United Kingdom, the police officers will be speaking to crewmembers who may have witnessed the incident, which reportedly happened at a recreation/rest area for the crew and was witnessed by many foreign crewmembers including Filipinos. There were no passengers around when  the incident took place, Mr. Cessford said.

The 49-year-old suspect is expected to be formally arrested on 17 May 2006 when the Queen Mary 2 arrives in Southampton.  The ship owner, Cunard Lines, through its representative Mr. Harvin based in Los Angeles, California, is in the process of informing the victim's next of kin in the Philippines.

Mr. Cessford requested the Embassy not to disclose the identities of the victim and alleged assailant  until their relatives have been informed.  He has also offered to work with the Embassy on family liaison matters, particularly on the positive identification of the victim by a next of kin and also on addressing the concerns of the family of the alleged assailant.

In reply to the request, the Department would not disclose the names of the two OFWs.  In the meantime, the Department in coordination with the Embassy and Cunard Lines is in the process of informing the next of kin of the victim and the suspect.

The Embassy, for its part, will be sending the consular officer and the ATN officer to  Southampton on 17 May 2006 upon the arrival of Queen Mary 2 to coordinate with the Hampshire Police on the case and to provide whatever assistance can be provided to the suspect, CDA and Consul General de Leon said.   At the same time, the Embassy has requested the Philippine Embassy in The Hague to coordinate with Dutch authorities on the post mortem to be conducted  on 16 May 2006 on the Filipino seafarer in Groeningen, the Netherlands.

The Queen Mary 2 is described as the world's largest, tallest and longest ocean liner, which can carry up to 2,620 passengers and are looked after by a crew of 1,253.

CDA de Leon said the Embassy will inform the Department on the developments in this incident. END