A 40-year-old man is continuing to be questioned today about the death of a 39-year-old woman in the bathroom of a ferry which arrived at Rosslare Europort on Tuesday evening.
The man and woman, who both lived in the UK, are known to each other.
It’s understood that the woman had apparent injuries to her neck.
Gardaí are not looking for anyone else in relation to the death of the woman and say the results of a post-mortem will direct the course of their investigation.
A “public order incident”, described as a “brawl”, broke out on the ship, between a group of people, following the discovery of the woman’s body
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The ship’s captain made an emergency call for assistance after the violent incident on board as the ferry approached Rosslare on Tuesday evening at 5.30pm from Fishguard.
The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. It is understood her body was found in a bathroom on the ship.
A man was arrested in connection with the investigation and is being held at a local garda station.
Gardaí said they are investigating “all of the circumstances” around the death.
They are awaiting the results of the post-mortem to determine the cause of death.
Armed gardaí and the public order unit attended the scene when the ship docked.
The woman’s body remains at the scene which has been preserved for technical and forensic examination.
The next sailing from Rosslare to Fishguard has been cancelled.
A garda spokesperson said there are no public safety issues but that a crime scene had been declared.
News Catch Up – Wednesday 26 February
Local councillor Ger Carthy attended the scene in a professional capacity in his role as an ambulance officer with the National Ambulance Service.
“There’s an air of shock and sadness here in Rosslare tonight over what unfolded onboard the Stena Nordica,” he said.
“The specifics are subject to a garda investigation at this stage, the outcome of which we’ll learn in the fulness of time. Regardless, at the centre of it is a woman who has lost her life and the thoughts of the community here are with her family.”
Commenting specifically on the emergency response, Cllr Carthy added: “I think the pace of the multi-agency response to this incident, including National Ambulance Service and specialist garda units, was evidence that when something serious happens, the mechanisms are in place to respond in a quick and efficient manner.”
A garda spokesperson said: “Gardaí are currently at the scene of a serious incident onboard a passenger ferry en route to Rosslare, Co Wexford, this evening.
“A crime scene has been declared.
“While gardaí conduct inquiries onboard, there are no public safety issues at this time.”
A post-mortem examination will be arranged which will determine the course of the investigation.
A Senior Investigating Officer has been appointed to lead the investigation and a Family Liaison Officer has been assigned to provide support and information to the deceased’s family.
A spokesperson for Stena Line said yesterday: “An incident occurred this afternoon on the 14:00 sailing from Fishguard to Rosslare. This a police matter, so please direct all further questions to the gardaí.
“The 19:30 sailing from Rosslare and 01:30am sailing from Fishguard are cancelled as a result.”
Gardaí confirmed that they were “at the scene of a serious incident onboard a passenger ferry en route to Rosslare, Co Wexford.
“A crime scene has been declared. While Gardaí conduct enquiries onboard, there are no public safety issues at this time. There is no additional information available at this time.”