The Bermuda Police are now the lead investigators in the case of an Italian Chef who is presumed to have fallen off a cruise ship.

As previously reported in The Royal Gazette, Angelo Faliva, 31, worked for a short time as a chef at the Little Venice Restaurant in Bermuda.

Mr. Faliva was reported missing late last month from US-based Princess Cruises' Coral Princess cruise liner where he had been working as a sous chef.

Details surrounding the mysterious disappearance are sketchy with his family suspecting foul play, differing reports on when and where he was last seen and a missing life-preserver with it's night-time illumination flares ripped off.

A spokesman for Princess Cruises had initially said that the FBI would be taking control of the investigation when the ship arrived in Los Angeles.

Now, because the Coral Princess is registered in Bermuda, it appears that the Bermuda Police Service have been charged with heading up the investigation.

Said a spokesman: "The Bermuda Police Service are the lead Investigators in this matter and had dispatched two Officers to meet the ship and agents, an Italian Consul General Representative and a family member of Mr. Faliva when the ship reached port on Monday, 7th December.

Our Officers will retrieve the original statements, record any additional statements if required, search the missing crew member's cabin and seize any items of evidential value

At present, there is no evidence of foul play. A file will be prepared for a Coroner's Inquest in due course unless there is further evidence to the contrary."

Mr. Faliva was reportedly last seen between 6 and 6.30 a.m. as the ship neared Cartagena Colombia with a passenger claiming to have seen someone on the water near that time.