Sussex man, 60, who died on cruise ship named
A man from West Sussex, who died on board a cruise ship, has been named.
James Messham, 60, from Shoreham-by-Sea, died following an "altercation" on the MSC Virtuosa on Saturday (May 3) as it was in British waters returning from a short trip to Belgium.
A 57-year-old man from Exeter, Devon, was arrested on suspicion of murder and has been released pending further inquiries by Hampshire Constabulary.
A spokesman for the Hampshire coroner's office confirmed that it had been informed of Mr Messham's death, but proceedings into his death had not yet been opened.
It is understood that he was part of a stag party on board the cruise ship.
A police spokesman said: 'Officers are continuing their inquiries into the death of a 60-year-old man from West Sussex on board the MSC Virtuosa, which happened around 8.30pm on Saturday (May 3).
'A 57-year-old man arrested as part of our inquiries has been released on bail.
'We remain keen to hear from anyone who was aboard the ship, which had departed Southampton around 6pm on Saturday and was still in British waters at the time.'
The ship returned from Belgium to Southampton, Hampshire, on Monday.
The MSC Virtuosa is operated by MSC Cruises and has a capacity of 6,334 guests.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
Rochdale grooming gang leader 'throwing parties' while deportation talks drag on
A ringleader of the Rochdale child sex abuse ring has been 'throwing parties' at his home amid long-running efforts to deport him from the UK, neighbours say. Qari Rauf, 55, who was released in 2017 after serving two-and-a-half years of his six-year prison sentence, was stripped of his dual British citizenship following his conviction. A judge ordered his deportation but it was thwarted after he renounced his Pakistani citizenship and tore up his passport days before a hearing about the case. Pakistan refused to take the now 'stateless' paedophile saying there was 'no basis to accept' him and fellow ringleader Adil Khan, who is in a similar situation. Rauf is still living in the same part of Rochdale where victims were targeted, reportedly with official protection including a 'panic button' linked to Greater Manchester Police. One neighbour, mum-of-two Angie Harrison, said she has seen 'loads of people' entering his house for parties and saw someone 'taking photos out the back window'. She told MailOnline: 'The street is full of kids. I am constantly checking and checking. 'It is horrible. It is awful when you have to sit out watching your kids. We're the ones watching over our own kids like prison guards.' Others said he 'walks around here like he owns the place' and is living comfortably, having been taken back by his wife, and is frequently seen hanging out with his son. British officials are in talks with their Pakistani counterparts to have him deported, with fresh developments last week. Last week a Pakistani official said the country could change its stance if the UK allows Pakistani airlines to operate direct flights to the UK. They were banned four years ago following the discovery that dozens of Pakistani flights had been piloted by people with fake licenses. British officials say the row cannot be used for leverage on the Pakistani airline ban as it's a 'technical and independent' matter based on safety concerns. The UK Civil Aviation Authority recently said 'no significant progress' has been made on the issue. Rauf was part of a nine-strong gang of men of Pakistani heritage who sexually assaulted 47 girls, some as young as 12, after luring them with alcohol and drugs. An independent review of wider child sex abuse and exploitation last year found 'compelling evidence' that 111 cases in Rochdale between 2004 and 2013 were not properly investigated despite warnings. A report by Baroness Casey recently weighed into long-debated issues around the ethnic make-up of grooming gangs in the UK. Last week Lady Casey said she found evidence of 'over-representation' of men of Pakistani and Asian heritage among suspects in Greater Manchester, West and South Yorkshire, where police forces gathered data on ethnicity in such cases. Robust data had not been collected consistently across the rest of the UK she said, arguing that authorities had 'shied away' from the ethnicity of offenders. Her report also looked at 12 live investigations and found 'a significant proportion appear to involve suspects who are non-UK nationals', including asylum claimants. The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said 'ignoring the issues, not examining and exposing them to the light, allows the criminality and depravity of a minority of men to be used to marginalise whole communities'. She told MPs more than 1,000 grooming gang cold cases are expected to be reviewed by police in the coming weeks. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: First picture of 'peacemaker' who was stabbed to death outside of Hounslow prayer centre MORE: Man in court charged with murder of partner found stabbed after house explosion MORE: One in seven people lost money to fraud last year, survey finds
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Tributes to wingsuit flyer, 24, who died in crash in Swiss Alps
Liam Byrne, 24, died in a fatal crash on the Gitschen mountain in Switzerland, after taking off from 7,874ft (2,400 metres), the BBC reported. A spokesperson for the local police force said: 'On Saturday June 21 2025, shortly before 12:00, three wingsuit pilots launched a jump from Gitschen at approximately 2,400 metres above sea level toward Seedorf. 'One of the jumpers, a 24-year-old man from Great Britain, deviated from his intended course shortly after take-off for reasons still unknown and crashed into a rocky outcrop at approximately 2,100 metres above sea level. 'He suffered fatal injuries.' The Uri Cantonal Police called for witnesses to come forward and assist the investigation in 'clarifying the cause of the accident'. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland is conducting the investigation alongside the Public Prosecutor's Office of Uri, police added. In November, Mr Byrne featured in a BBC documentary, The Boy Who Can Fly, about his journey to becoming a champion skydiver. His parents, Mike and Gillian, confirmed to BBC Scotland News that their son had died, and paid tribute to his 'wild energy' and 'contagious laugh'. The Byrne family said: 'We would like to remember Liam not just for the way he left this world, but for how he lived in it. 'Liam was fearless, not necessarily because he wasn't afraid but because he refused to let fear hold him back. 'He chased life in a way that most of us only dream of and he soared. 'Skydiving and base jumping was more than just a thrill for Liam – it was freedom. It was where he felt most alive. 'Liam was more than just an adventurer. He was a son, brother, grandson, cousin and friend. He was a source of laughter and strength. 'He inspired all of us and made life better with his bold spirit and kind heart. 'We will miss Liam's wild energy and contagious laugh. 'Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us.' The documentary screened on November 8 showed Liam and his father, Mike, as Mr Byrne prepared for a wingsuit jump off Mannlichen mountain in Switzerland. Speaking in the documentary, Mr Byrne, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, said that 'an office job scares me far more than the fear of dying from a base jump or wingsuit flight'. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said on Monday: 'We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Switzerland, and are in contact with the local authorities.'
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Tributes to wingsuit flyer, 24, who died in crash in Swiss Alps
Liam Byrne, 24, died in a fatal crash on the Gitschen mountain in Switzerland, after taking off from 7,874ft (2,400 metres), the BBC reported. A spokesperson for the local police force said: 'On Saturday June 21 2025, shortly before 12:00, three wingsuit pilots launched a jump from Gitschen at approximately 2,400 metres above sea level toward Seedorf. 'One of the jumpers, a 24-year-old man from Great Britain, deviated from his intended course shortly after take-off for reasons still unknown and crashed into a rocky outcrop at approximately 2,100 metres above sea level. 'He suffered fatal injuries.' The Uri Cantonal Police called for witnesses to come forward and assist the investigation in 'clarifying the cause of the accident'. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland is conducting the investigation alongside the Public Prosecutor's Office of Uri, police added. In November, Mr Byrne featured in a BBC documentary, The Boy Who Can Fly, about his journey to becoming a champion skydiver. His parents, Mike and Gillian, confirmed to BBC Scotland News that their son had died, and paid tribute to his 'wild energy' and 'contagious laugh'. The Byrne family said: 'We would like to remember Liam not just for the way he left this world, but for how he lived in it. 'Liam was fearless, not necessarily because he wasn't afraid but because he refused to let fear hold him back. 'He chased life in a way that most of us only dream of and he soared. 'Skydiving and base jumping was more than just a thrill for Liam – it was freedom. It was where he felt most alive. 'Liam was more than just an adventurer. He was a son, brother, grandson, cousin and friend. He was a source of laughter and strength. 'He inspired all of us and made life better with his bold spirit and kind heart. 'We will miss Liam's wild energy and contagious laugh. 'Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us.' The documentary screened on November 8 showed Liam and his father, Mike, as Mr Byrne prepared for a wingsuit jump off Mannlichen mountain in Switzerland. Speaking in the documentary, Mr Byrne, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, said that 'an office job scares me far more than the fear of dying from a base jump or wingsuit flight'. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said on Monday: 'We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Switzerland, and are in contact with the local authorities.'
