Carnival Doubts Couple Went Overboard by Accident

Police have called off the search for the two Carnival Cruise patrons who went over the side two days ago, after failing to find any trace of the couple. Details about the fate of Paul Rossington, 30, and Kristen Schroder, 27, are slowly emerging. According to one report, cited in the Sydney Morning Herald, Schroder fell off first, and Rossington, a paramedic, likely went over in an attempt to save her.

But police didn't infer nearly that much from their initial viewing of CCTV footage, concluding only that "two people went into the water," a detective said. "You can't really tell if it was a male or a female who went over first." Carnival, meanwhile, says it's "highly unlikely" the couple went overboard accidentally, because the ship's railings are higher than international regulations require, the Australian reports. Police have at this point essentially given up hope of finding the couple, who face hypothermia and exhaustion (to say nothing of sharks). "If we hear of any sightings, then the search is back on," a police spokesman said. (More Carnival Cruise Lines stories.)