Allie Hubers English authorities are investigating a possible homicide on a mainstream cruise line following the death of a 60-year-old passenger.
The incident occurred aboard MSC Virtuosa during a 2-night sailing from Southampton, England. According to reports, the altercation between two men occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, 2025. This was just hours after the vessel departed from Southampton on the scheduled itinerary.
The short cruise only visited one port of call during the 2-night sailing in Zeebrugge (Bruges) in Belgium. However, the altercation allegedly occurred in British waters.
Upon the ship’s return to Southampton the following morning, authorities arrested a 57-year-old man from Exeter, England, on suspicion of murder. The suspect remains in custody as the investigation continues by local authorities. The victim’s family has been notified and is receiving support from the cruise line.
In a statement regarding the incident, 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.”
Detective Chief Inspector Matt Gillooly, leading the investigation, emphasized that this appears to be an isolated incident. He expressed gratitude for the cooperation and assistance provided by the ship’s crew during the inquiry.
On the MSC Virtuosa Facebook page, an admin posted briefly regarding the incident, although further discussion about the incident was not allowed.
The admin publicly thanked the onboard crew for their professionalism and composure during this difficult and emotional event. “I’d also like to say a huge thank you to all staff onboard in dealing with the incident so professionally, given the circumstances. Staff dealing with this must’ve been a horrendous experience. I really hope they’re okay, including the security staff too!”
He went on to note that many passengers onboard were unaware the incident had even taken place. “The amount of people who were onboard and heard nothing of the incident shows testament to how well MSC dealt with this. You deserve a thank you, too.”
Evening update
According to the Daily Mail, the man was knifed to death while celebrating a “stag do” party, commonly referred to as Bachelor and Bachelorette parties in the U.S.
An army medic reportedly attempted to save the man’s life by performing CPR, but the efforts were tragically unsuccessful.
One passenger onboard described the scene as chaotic, noting that “hen and stag parties [were] causing chaos” on the ship.
She also shared that she had spoken with the father of an army medic who “tried to help by doing CPR on a guy that had collapsed,” with reports of the man’s death emerging around 8:30 p.m.
More about MSC Virtuosa
The MSC Virtuosa, a Meraviglia-Plus-class cruise ship operated by MSC Cruises, entered service in May 2021. With a passenger capacity exceeding 6,000, the cruise ship offers voyages to destinations including the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and Northern Europe.
The cruise ship is currently sailing on a 5-night cruise to Belgium, Netherlands, and France, with mostly 7-night Northern European cruises scheduled this summer.
