P&O facing serious business, brand and reputation damage………again
AAP reports that police in Queensland have confirmed that a 16-year-old girl has claimed she has been sexually assaulted onboard a P&O cruise ship, believed to be the Pacific Star.
The reports further confirmed that six detectives from the Queensland Police Service State Crime Operations Command boarded the vessel late on Friday at Gladstone, north of Brisbane, to conduct an investigation, but that they added that at this stage police have found no evidence to charge any person in relation to the sexual assault allegation.
During the investigation a 23-year-old New South Wales man was also arrested and charged with possession of a dangerous drug, but this charge is unrelated to the alleged sexual assault.
Following the boarding by police in Gladstone the vessels sailed for Brisbane where she docked in Brisbane on Saturday.
The Queensland Police have praised P&O crew for quickly notifying police and assisting the investigation, but the claim potentially proven or otherwise will further damage P&O’s reputation following the death of 42-year-old mother of three Dianne Brimble in 2002 with an ongoing inquest into Mrs Brimble’s death taking place in Sydney over many months before New South Wales Deputy State Coroner Jacqueline Milledge, with inquest still incomplete, with Mrs Brimble dying naked on the floor of a cabin on the Pacific Sky and some potentially very damaging evidence being presented and given in the inquest.
A P&O spokeswoman told News Ltd: “There was an alleged sexual assault and the matter is now with police”, adding police were contacted on Thursday morning, and the Pacific Star’s officer and captain were informed.
News Ltd also says that the girl says she was the victim of a late-night assault in a cabin after a Hawaiian-themed party on Wednesday night, with one guest saying the girl tried to throw herself overboard in the early hours of Thursday but was grabbed by security guards.
Three men from a cabin which was later sealed with police tape and guarded are believed to be persons of interest in the attack but no charges have been made.
Less than ten days ago, P&O announced the formation of an advisory group chaired by Katie Lahey, chief of the Business Council of Australia to assist the company with issues of security to restore its tarnished image, particularly for families and to advise and oversee new safety measures following Mrs Brimble’s overdose on a cruise in 2002.
The cruise company, part of US based Carnival Cruises is under severe pressure over revelations about the death of Mrs Brimble in 2002 also recently attempted to disassociate itself with the P&O Cruises brand, attempting to rebrand itself Carnival Australia to refresh its damaged image.
In a statement, at the time of her appointment, Ms Lahey said the advisory council would also work with Carnival Australia on its image, adding “I see an important part of the work of the advisory council will be to ensure P&O Cruises takes every step it can to try to ensure the circumstances of Mrs Brimble’s tragic death cannot be repeated”.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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