MSC Virtuosa: Tributes paid to man, 60, who died on cruise ship hours after it left Southampton - as second man arrested on suspicion of murder
Tributes have been paid to a 60-year-old man who died on a cruise ship hours after it left Southampton port.
James Messham, from Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex, was reported dead about two-and-a-half hours after MSC Virtuosa departed Southampton on 3 May. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary arrested a 56-year-old man from Richmond, London, on Sunday on suspicion of manslaughter.
He was the second man to be arrested in relation to the death, after a 57-year-old man from Exeter, Devon, who was arrested on suspicion of murder on 5 May was released on bail. The vessel left Southampton at 18:00 BST for a two-night voyage to Bruges, Belgium, returning at 06:00 on Monday 5 May.
The police have said they wanted to hear from anyone who was aboard the ship. The family of Mr Messham have issued a statement for their loved one.
They said: "James was a loving father to 8 children the youngest being only 10 years old. The unbreakable bond between us will never be forgotten. He was a family man.
"He was there for us all daily. He also had 10 grandchildren that he doted on. He will be very dearly missed by so many people. He had a heart of gold and would do anything to help anyone.
"Our lives will never be the same without him. His wife and all us children and grandchildren are heartbroken. All of us are struggling with so many unanswered questions in relation to what happened that night aboard MSC Virtousa." His eldest daughter Charmaine Messham described her father as a "businessman" who turned his hand to many trades to provide for his family, most notable was his work as a wall of death showman for a fairground.