A British man aged 71 has been arrested after allegedly assaulting somebody on a cruise ship.
The man was charged by the AFP on Saturday after the ship returned to port in Sydney.
He allegedly assaulted somebody on Wednesday while the ship was at sea.
READ MORE: Parents of Sydney Harbour shark attack victim, 12, join poignant Bondi paddle out
READ MORE: Prue Car to return to NSW parliament after cancer battle
If found guilty of the attack, he could face a maximum of five years in prison.
According to federal police, the alleged crime took place at sea outside Australia's "outer adjacent area", but is still covered by the Crimes at Sea Act.
AFP Detective acting Superintendent Trevor Robinson said safety on board international vessels was paramount.
"The repercussions of alleged criminal behaviour remain even when an offence occurs at sea," he said.
"Where Australian law applies under the Crimes at Sea framework, the AFP will move swiftly to investigate incidents and bring alleged offenders before the courts," he said.
"We work closely with cruise operators and maritime partners to ensure the safety of passengers and crew, and to make it clear unlawful behaviour on vessels connected to Australia will be addressed."
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.
- Download the 9NEWS App here via Apple and Google Play
- Make 9News your preferred source on Google by ticking this box here
- Sign up to our breaking newsletter here
