A woman was found deceased under suspicious circumstances in a bathroom aboard the Stena Nordica ferry, which docked at Rosslare Europort on Tuesday evening. The incident occurred following a violent altercation on the vessel, described as a “brawl,” among a group of passengers, as the ferry approached its destination from Fishguard at approximately 5.30pm.

The captain of the ferry initiated an emergency call for assistance as the situation escalated on board. Upon arrival at Rosslare, emergency personnel, including armed gardaí and a public order unit, were deployed to the scene. The woman was pronounced dead at the location where her body was discovered, and authorities have preserved the area for a thorough technical and forensic examination.

In the aftermath of the incident, a man has been arrested in connection to the inquiry and is currently in custody at a local garda station. Gardaí are investigating all circumstances surrounding the woman’s death and are awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination to ascertain the cause of demise. A Garda spokesperson indicated that there are currently no public safety concerns, but confirmed that a crime scene has been declared.

Local councillor Ger Carthy, who attended the scene in his capacity as an ambulance officer with the National Ambulance Service, expressed the community’s shock and sadness regarding the occurrence. He stated that “there’s an air of shock and sadness here in Rosslare tonight over what unfolded onboard the Stena Nordica,” and emphasised the need for careful investigation into the specifics of the incident. He commended the quick response of various agencies, which included the National Ambulance Service and specialist garda units.

A Senior Investigating Officer has been appointed to oversee the investigation, and a Family Liaison Officer is providing support to the woman’s family during this difficult time.

A spokesperson for Stena Line confirmed the occurrence of an incident on the 14:00 sailing from Fishguard to Rosslare and added that further inquiries should be directed to the gardaí. As a direct result of the situation, the 19:30 sailing from Rosslare and the 01:30 sailing from Fishguard have been cancelled.

The investigation continues as gardaí collect evidence and interview witnesses to establish a clearer picture of the events that transpired on the ferry.

Source: Noah Wire Services