Inquest Into High Profile Cruise Ship Deaths Recommends Bravery Award

Earlier this week, the inquest began into the deaths of paramedic Paul Rossington and his girlfriend Kristen Schroder, who disappeared from a balcony of cruise ship Carnival Spirit in May 2013.

The pair passed away on the final night of the cruise, which went unnoticed by other passengers and staff. Their disappearance was noticed 15 hours later, when their luggage remained on the boat after all other passengers had disembarked. Their bodies were never recovered.
The inquest heard on Tuesday that Rossington actually jumped in to the water to save Schroder, after she slipped from a fifth-story balcony. 
Yahoo reports that CCTV showed the couple arguing just before the tragedy, with Rossington accusing Schroder of flirting with another man. This is the last photo of the couple, after their argument ended and they kissed before returning to their room separately:

Back in Cabin 5281, footage shows Schroder climbing over the balcony for a few seconds, then slipping and falling. She struck a railing on the way down, and fell around 20 metres, landing in the Tasman Sea. Thermal footage then shows Rossington jump over the balcony after her a few seconds later. Rossington’s thermal signature is much brighter than Schroder’s, which shows he was naked, with a high body temperature. This is believed to indicate that he had most likely been in bed, then ran after Schroder without hesitation when he saw her fall.
Detective Sergeant Michael O’Keefe told the inquest that Rossington’s courageous act should not go unnoticed, and called for him to be posthumously awarded the Cross of Valour for his bravery. 
“He must have known that jumping out would most likely end with him losing his life,” said O’Keefe.
Image via Twitter

More Stuff From PEDESTRIAN.TV