Man kicked off P&O ship for throwing cigarette butt overboard

P&O Australia recently kicked a passenger off the ship after he threw a cigarette butt overboard.

Mark O’Keefe was on a 10 night cruise which was sailing to Bali when a P&O security officer spotted him flicking his cigarette butt over the side of the ship.

The family have said that Mark was told to return to his cabin and then the following morning received a letter telling him to attend a meeting.  During the meeting he was told he would have to disembark the ship.

His daughter, Courtney, said that at the time of the incident Mark “had maybe two drags because the weather was horrendous – he butted it out, and without thinking, he flicked it. He instantly regretted it and apologised.”

Courtney said that her father was then told by the Captain that he had to leave: “no letting my dad apologise, no option of cutting him off at the bar, no giving him a fine, nothing.”

Following the meeting, he was then taken to an island where he boarded an aircraft to take him to Denpasar and told to find his own way home.  His wife was unable to travel with him because, according to the daughter ”they scrimped and saved every penny for this holiday, so they couldn’t afford the two tickets home.”

P&O Australia were asked about the incident and stated “The issue of fire safety on board is of highest priority. The mandatory passenger safety muster on embarkation includes an explicit warning about the dangers associated with disposing of cigarettes over the side. A lighted cigarette can be drawn into the ship posing a serious risk to the ship and the safety of passengers and crew.” 

What do you think? Were P&O right to take the action they did? Or do you think it was too harsh? I’d love to hear your thoughts 🙂

Lx