NSW: P&O stands by captain, reviewing security

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2003
NSW: P&O stands by captain, reviewing security

By Miranda Korzy

SYDNEY, Dec 18 AAP - Shipping line P&O is reviewing on board security for schoolies
cruises but today stood by a captain's decision to offload troublemakers from a rebel-rousing
south Pacific voyage.

Marine investigators are examining a number of allegations of wild behaviour aboard
the cruise ship Pacific Sky during the 10-day cruise to Vanuatu.

The cruise was not strictly for school leavers, although it was marketed as "an-end-of-exam
cruise".

The Pacific Sky docked in Sydney yesterday where water police escorted five Adelaide
men from the ship.

They had been locked in their cabins on the captain's orders for three days for allegedly
running riot on board, a company spokesman said.

Earlier, an emergency alarm was set off by a passenger in a man-overboard hoax, causing
the ship to search for seven-and-a-half hours until a roll call of all on-board could
be completed, he said.

And a further 11 troublemakers were removed when the ship docked in Port Vila and Noumea.

The P&O spokesman said today the matters had been referred to police and the company
was cooperating with their investigations.

He rejected claims by one of the passengers removed in Sydney that he had been treated unfairly.

"Their behaviour was considered to be a threat to other people by our captain," the
spokesman said.

"We support his decision 100 per cent."

However, P&O was now reviewing its on-board security following the problems, although
it already had been increased for the cruise.

The man-overboard hoax had cost the company at least $20,000 in fuel costs plus that
of equipment thrown overboard during the fake emergency, he said.

Passenger Tamara Ochan said the man-overboard call during the last days of the cruise
forced the ship to circle until a roll call was finished.

Revellers were dancing at 4.30am when they heard someone had gone overboard, Ms Ochan said.

"Suddenly I just saw all these people (throwing) plastic chairs overboard ... because
we'd been told in the drill just to throw anything over that floats," Ms Ochan told ABC
radio.

"Security guards (were) running, telling us to move out of the way, and they said that
someone was overboard."

The P&O spokesman said the ship then searched the area until midday when the roll call
established all passengers were on board.

"The crew subsequently had investigations on board and somebody admitted he had done
it and has been referred to the police," he said.

Only three per cent of the 1,530 passengers were over 22, but most of them had been
well-behaved, he said.

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KEYWORD: CRUISE NIGHTLEAD

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