Australian couple who fell from cruise ship had been arguing

The Australian couple who are believed to have died after falling from the Carnival Spirit cruise liner are said to have been engaged in a heated argument shortly before they fell overboard.

According to the Sydney Herald, CCTV footage shows Paul Rossington and his girlfriend Kristen Schroder in the ship's casino on Wednesday evening, having a short but heated argument.

As they left the casino, CCTV captured them 'mucking about', suggesting that they were no longer arguing. However, they failed to join Ms Schroder's family for dinner and, at 8.50pm that night, CCTV captured them falling overboard into the Tasman Sea.

The footage shows Ms Schroder climbing over the railing on the mid-deck of the ship, and standing on the other side of it. Police were unable to determine if she intended to jump or if she fell. Another CCTV camera captured her hitting a lifeboat before she fell into the water. Moments later, Mr Rossington was captured jumping overboard. The couple were reported missing twelve hours later, after the liner had docked at Sydney's Circular Quay.

Police called off the search for the couple late on Friday afternoon.

The Daily Mail reports that authorities are looking in to the possibility that Ms Schroder fell first and Mr Rossington then jumped in to try and save her.

Police said that the couple's fall was not believed to be suspicious.

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