Couple presumed dead after fall from Carnival ship
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Police in Australia have called off the search for a missing couple who fell from the balcony of a Carnival Cruise Lines ship last week.
Paul Rossington, 30, and Kristen Schroder, 27, were last seen on CCTV on Wednesday night, with Schroder appearing to climb over a railing and falling into the sea, and Rossington jumping in after her.
However the pair weren’t reported missing until they failed to pick up their luggage after the ship had docked on Friday, according to Australia’s Herald Sun.
The paper quoted Schroder’s brother-in-law, Sascha Peruoco as posting the following on Facebook:
“It has been upsetting to read the media reporting that Kristen jumped off the Carnival Spirit cruise ship willingly. I want to make one thing absolutely clear, and please feel free to share this amongst as many people as you know, 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 backwards. I believe Paul jumped in to save her without having a chance to think clearly and call for help.”
Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia was forced to defend the company’s handling of security in a statement to the media: