Row over an Aussie’s flip-flop sparked mass brawl on cruise ship as 26 members of the same family went on the rampage
TWENTY-six members of the same, unruly extended family were kicked off the Carnival Legend
THE violent brawl which left dozens injured on a cruise ship all started because of a flip-flop, it has been reported.
Footage showed terrified passengers fleeing for cover as fists flew and groups battered each other in the lobby and lido deck.
As many as 26 members of the same, unruly extended family have been offloaded from the Carnival Legend cruise ship onto a small police boat after a mass brawl.
It's believed days of fighting on board the Carnival Cruise Line ship preceded the fight and Friday’s unscheduled stop to offload the family.
Shocking details leaked from the ship claim guests were "scared for their safety" on the 10-day cruise in the South Pacific and that it all started over a thong - the Australian for flip flop - was stepped on.
A family member named Zac told 3AW Radio the trouble started with another group over a thong and his family were being unfairly targeted.
"This is all over a thong, not a foot, a thong being stepped on and being instantly apologised for," he said.
The ship was forced to dock on the southern coast of New South Wales, Australia, to have a group of men and teenagers removed in the middle of its 10-day South Pacific Cruise.
They said threats had been made to stab and throw people overboard during what was described as a "cruise from hell".
NSW Police have now confirmed they are investigating the fights, which occurred while it was about 130 miles off Jervis Bay, south of Sydney, reports.
The ship, which was due to return to Melbourne on Saturday morning, is now docked in the coastal town of Eden, close to the Victoria border.
One passenger told We are so scared after witnessing a traumatic experience with yet again the same offenders. It was a bloodbath."
"We will not be leaving our cabins and are truly scared for our safety and what could happen in the next 24 hours."
Passenger Kellie Petersen, who was on the cruise with her husband and their three children, aged 11, 9 and 6, said trouble on board had been "brewing for days".
"They were looking for trouble from the minute they got on the ship," she told Melbourne’s .
"My husband said to take it away, because there’s kids here, and five of them surrounded my husband. They told us to watch our backs."
A passenger identified only as Naomi said: "There are about 20 of the family, older people, teenagers and young kids with them. They were loud, alcohol affected and things like that."
She added there had been a number of fights on board, including in a nightclub and in an elevator the next day, "and a big fight on the lido deck, which went on for about 45 minutes".
"Lots of yelling people being threatened. Being called dogs in the smoking area. A pool was full of children, people were pulling their children out of the pool because they were crying and scared.
“Last night they attacked one of the security guards.”
The reported that up to 30 passengers were injured in the bloody brawls.
NSW cops said ship security intervened and detained the men before notifying the Marine Area Command.
After speaking to passengers and crew for several hours, police removed six men and three teenage boys from the vessel.
In a statement to , the ship’s operator Carnival Cruise Line said staff had taken action against a small number of "disruptive guests".
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A spokesman said: "Safety is the number one priority for Carnival Cruise Line, we take a zero tolerance approach to excessive behaviour that affects other guests and we have acted accordingly on Carnival Legend.
"The ship’s highly trained security staff have taken strong action in relation to a small group of disruptive guests who have been involved in altercations on board.
"The ship’s security team is applying our zero tolerance policy in the interests of the safety and comfort of other guests.
"Carnival Legend is currently on a 10-day South Pacific cruise scheduled to be completed in Melbourne tomorrow where the ship is currently homeported."
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