Anxiety over Covid-19 led ship’s doctor to take his life

ACRUISE ship doctor from Colombia was found hanged in his cabin while the vessel was docked in Falmouth.

The inquest into the death of Roman Dario Palacios Holguin, the medical doctor of the residential cruise ship The World, heard how the 57-year-old had become increasingly anxious about the crew of The World contracting Covid-19 after docking in the seaside town.

Dr Roman was due to finish work on Thursday May 21, however as a result of the pandemic this didn’t happen and he tragically took his own life just over a week later, on Friday May 29.

The ship’s captain, Mark Dexter, said the cruise ship departed Freemantle, near Perth, on the west coast of Australia after cruise ships were instructed to leave the country’s waters in March.

The World, a privately owned residential vessel, then made its way to Falmouth.

Captain Dexter said: “The voyage in itself was unprecedented, it was mentally stressful for all of the crew and we organised events in the evening to help them. And we organised the ability to keep them in touch with their families around the world.

“Around Tuesday, May 12, Dr Roman started to become a little anxious about our forthcoming arrival into Falmouth on Monday, May 25. He knew once we got to Falmouth the nurse would be sent home leaving the doctor to care for the remaining 72 crew members.

“He started to question whether he could cope once the nurse had gone home.”

Captain Dexter said he assured Dr Roman that the crew would be fine and there would be lots of shoreside help and local facilities to assist them.

But Dr Roman was unable to sleep due to his anxiety about the coronavirus pandemic. Captain Dexter said it “played on his mind” and was also concerned that the borders of his home country, Colombia, had closed.

Dr Roman was relieved of his duties to help remove the stress of the situation and given medication to help him sleep. He also had regular video conferences with a psychiatrist who “seemed to be helping him”.

Captain Dexter said: “He showed me a daily routine he and his psychiatrist had devised and this appeared to ease his mind for a time. After a day or so he then expressed feelings of shame, that he couldn’t work when everyone else was.”

Captain Dexter said Dr Roman had good days and bad days but he was worried about the virus getting on board and how the crew would cope.

He explained: “He was anxious about getting the virus himself, questioning whether we were prepared enough. He said there was no way he would be going ashore in Falmouth.”

Dr Roman was found hanged in his cabin on Friday, May 29, by one of the ship’s engineers.

Detective Constable Kelly Browning, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said there was no evidence of any third party involvement or suspicious circumstances.

Acting chief coroner for Cornwall, Andrew Cox, recorded Dr Roman’s cause of death as hanging.

He added that the doctor was “noted to have become increasingly anxious about the pandemic and on May 29 while moored in Falmouth in Cornwall he was found hanged in his cabin. And the conclusion I’m going to record is a conclusion of suicide.”

He extended his condolences to his family for the loss they have suffered.

Greg Martin Police were called to cruise ship The World at Queen’s Wharf, Falmouth, after the doctor on board was found dead