Man living in Dublin arrested in Italy after wife ‘disappears’ during Mediterranean cruise
Crew aboard the Magnifica cruise ship call police after roll call revealed woman had vanished
A DUBLIN man is being held by Italian cops after his wife disappeared during a Med cruise.
The 45-year-old man was stopped at Rome’s Ciampino Airport on Tuesday night as he tried to board a flight to Ireland with his two young children.
Police tracked him down after a roll call on the cruise ship Magnifica showed his missus was missing.
The family had boarded the MSC cruise at Genoa in north-west Italy on February 10 and the Chinese-born woman’s disappearance was noted after the ship docked ten days later back at the same port.
It was only when crew members realised passenger details did not tally that they alerted police and a hunt was launched for the husband.
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A police spokeswoman in Rome said: “The man is being held for questioning in connection with the disappearance of his wife.
“He was stopped as he tried to leave Italy with his two young children.
“We want to know what he knows about his wife and why she was not with him when he disembarked from the ship.
"He has told us a very contradictory story and we want to get to the bottom of it.”
Speaking exclusively to last night, Rome-based lawyer Luigi Conti said: “I have been to see my client in prison and he is calm and serene.
“He has an explanation for what happened but I am saving that for the prosecutor.
“He denies completely anything untoward happening — he left the ship and was on his way home as per the booked travel arrangements.
“He was not fleeing from anyone and was acting normally when he left the ship.”
Earlier reports from Italy suggested the man was Irish but it’s now understood he was a resident in Ireland.
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: “The Department is aware of the situation, however it is our understanding that the individual concerned is not an Irish citizen.”
Mr Conti said the children, aged four and six, were being cared for by social services.
The man is due to appear before a judge in Rome on Friday.
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