TWO PASSENGERS have been released from police custody following a mass brawl which left six people on a Southampton cruise ship with "cuts and bruises".
A 43-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman, both from Chigwell, Essex, were previously arrested on suspicion of assault and spent part of the weekend detained by police.
The brawl erupted in the early hours of Friday morning aboard the P&O Britannia which was travelling from Bergen in Norway to Southampton.
Half a dozen people suffered injuries including cuts and bruises during the fight, which according to a witness involved passengers using plates and furniture as weapons to batter each other.
Six passengers hurt in brawl on board P&O ship Britannia
The fracas is believed to have been sparked by a passenger dressed as a clown who turned up to a black-tie event.
Things quickly escalated with one seafarer reporting that the fight left "blood everywhere".
The fight broke out during a "patriotic" black-tie event on board the cruise ship on Thursday evening with "large amounts of alcohol being consumed", reporter Richard Gaisford said on Twitter.
The scuffle turned violent after guests began hitting each other with objects, with members of staff frantically trying to stop the chaos.
Coming to the end of a week-long cruise of Norway's fjords the Britannia was travelling back to port when the incident happened.
A police spokesperson said: "The 43-year-old man and 41-year old woman have now been released from custody but remain under investigation. No more arrests have been made, however, out investigations are ongoing. If anyone has any information, including phone footage of the incident, they should call Hampshire Police on 101 quoting 44190262605."
"There was blood everywhere" - Police probe cruise ship brawl said to involve a clown
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