CRUISE SHIP TRAGEDY
A TRIP of a lifetime ended in tragedy for a Brisbane family on a P & O cruise, as Queensland Police revealed the fall of a mother-of-three overboard was not accidental.
After a 62-hour journey home, passengers were quick to depart the Pacific Dawn cruise ship when it docked at Hamilton yesterday morning.
Police have now revealed the final moments of Natasha Schofield, 47, who was walking along deck 14 with her husband on the night where she plunged off the cruise liner in what has been described as a heartbreaking tragedy.
Incident reports show the married couple had just finished dinner when they walked along the deck while other holiday-makers enjoyed onboard activities nearby.
CCTV captured the couple talking, while leaning over the railing when Ms Schofield made her final move.
“It wasn’t an accident,” Inspector Rob Graham said yesterday. “I can say that a male person – her husband – was standing next to her when she went over.
“Her husband tried in vain to grab her as she went over, grabbing on to her legs but she was too far gone and subsequently she fell.”
Insp Graham also described Ms Schofield’s husband as “loving and devoted”, and that he did the right thing.
“I can say her husband immediately raised the alarm through the ship’s system, although distraught,” he said.
Witnesses said Ms Schofield had fallen as a result of leaning over the railing, but police yesterday said passengers were not aware the tragedy was deliberate.
“The wider community on board the ship have not been told that it was an intentional act,” Insp Graham said.
He commended P & O on their professionalism during the investigation, saying the answer is not to increase the height of railings, but to be open about mental health.
“We need to be open and honest as a community and talk about mental health,” he said.
A P & O spokesman said Ms Schofield’s family had been given on-board support from senior crew members during the ship’s return.
“With Pacific Dawn’s arrival, we will be able to give police CCTV footage providing an unobstructed view of what happened and portraying an obviously devoted and loving couple,” the spokesman said.
Ms Schofield leaves behind her husband and three children – two girls and a boy – aged from 12 to 16.
Passengers were glad to depart the ship about 6am yesterday.
“It was devastating,” Shaylee Doubleday said.
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