Cruise woman's body is recovered

The body of a cruise ship passenger has been found in the Solent.
The 67-year-old woman, who has not been named, was reported missing by her husband from the P&O Oceana early on Sunday morning.

A sea search by coastguard and lifeguard crews discovered the woman and airlifted her to hospital, where her death was confirmed.

A police investigation has begun into her death. She was last seen in her cabin at about 0545 BST.

Coastguard notified

The Oceana was returning from a short cruise between Southampton and Zeebrugge, Belgium.

A spokesman for P&O Cruises said: "We can confirm that a person was reported missing from their cabin just prior to daybreak this morning as Oceana was approaching Southampton.

"Our missing persons procedures were immediately put into action and this included notification of the Coastguard."

The woman was found between Calshot and Cowes.

From Meridian News, I understand she has just retired from a career at a restaurant in Holdenhurst road, Bournemouth, Dorset.
Thoughher body is now at a Winchester hospital for post-mortem examination, it has been revealed that her injuries were consistent with a 24 m fall.

From reading that it looks like the police are seeking information from others who may know something. Usually they only do that in suspicious circumstances.

I cant see how it is possible to accidentally fall off. If she fell it is natural for the body to position itself in such a way to protect your face when you land, and anyone who does an autopsy would know the defensice bruises.

It is possible for a young fit person to survive a fall in the water from that height but someone her age you never know.

The only way I can think of someone accidentally falling off is if they were sitting on the hand rails.

quote:

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Originally posted by Sutho:
So it took the husband 1 hour and 15 minutes or less to report her missing!!!

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This was morning of disembarkation and breakfast would have started at 06:00. She may have said she was just going on deck for a few pics and would meet for breakfast in 15 minutes. If an hour later she has not turned up and you can't find her, now alongside, with packing the last few items to do and maybe being sent ashore shortly, you would report her missing for a tannoy call in that time.

That part is not suspect, as I know full well what not being able to find someone aboard can feel like in some circumstances and have had to ask the pursers desk for assistance; in my case within 1 1/2hrs too, & that was far too long, but one feels it necessary to check everwhere a couple of times oneself first.

Her injuries seem consistent with a fall. How she fell may be the supicious part; suicide or not. Without background info we may never know.

competative divers can dive from heights of 10m.

"Southampton Coroner's Court heard how a police investigation found no signs that Mrs Pang had taken her own life and that nobody else was involved in her death."

From the full report posted today in the Southern Daily Echo.

...unless you were maybe 8ft tall and passed-out while leaning on the railings

....unless you were sitting on the railings or trying to tight-rope walk on them.

I find it very unlikely that a woman of this age was either very tall or doing gymnastics on the railings? I guess the likelihood of her being drunk in the morning is minimal too.

A mystery!

[ 11-30-2007: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

I think it is definately suspicious and I doubt it was an accident. I really dont think a woman of her proportions would be able to get that high on the railings to fall off.

The questions it raises is why would she want to lean over the railings to such an extent from a balcony?

Why would she want to sit (if that is what she was doing) on the railings at that hour of the morning she went missing?

The story is bizzare and I really think they should have looked into it more.