Personal Injury Law

Irish cruise ship man falls overboard while sharing kiss with girl

By Lipcon, Margulies & Alsina, P.A.

The search has resumed in Australia for a young Irishman feared drowned after falling overboard when kissing his girlfriend.

Shane O'Halloran (23), from West Cork, is missing and suspected drowned after he and his girlfriend (26) apparently lost their balance on the Brisbane cruise ship while kissing -- and plunged headlong into the river.

The woman was rescued by the cruise ship personnel within a minute, but frantic efforts to locate Mr O'Halloran failed in the fading light.

The woman was uninjured but was treated for shock.

A massive search of the river is now ongoing by Brisbane policy and rescue divers.

Shane, a native of Ballineen, had gone on the Brisbane River cruise on Saturday night with some friends to mark a birthday celebration.

The tragedy occurred at 10pm when the cruise boat had reached Hale Street Link.

Australian police said it is understood that Mr O'Halloran was not a strong swimmer.

"Water police have been searching all day and that will continue all evening," a Brisbane police spokeswoman said.

Brisbane Cruises official Jim Kelly said he now had grave fears for the man's safety.

"The girl came up straight away, but there was no sign of the gentleman," he said.

Onlookers said that Mr O'Halloran and the young woman had been kissing in the seconds before the accident.

His disappearance marks the fourth water-borne tragedy to hit Irish nationals overseas in the past month.

Full post as published by Cruise Ship Law on September 08, 2009 (boomark / email).