Samoa Shipping Services (S.S.S.) has dismissed social media rumours that a Samoan sailor posted overseas was involved in a violent altercation.

Social media was on Sunday awash with unsubstantiated reports that a Samoan sailor aboard the Mediterranean Shipping Company's (M.S.C.) M.S.C. Lucy was involved in a violent altercation.

The Facebook page which made the original allegation has since been shut down by the Police.

The General Manager for the S.S.S., Lautimuia Afoa Vaai, told the Samoa Observer they have not received any complaint or reports from M.S.C. regarding any incidents aboard the vessel.

“S.S.S. has not received any official complaint or report from the employer company on such an incident involving [... any] Samoan sailor,” said Lautimuia.

No Samoan sailor is employed on-board that vessel, he added.

The M.S.C. Lucy is a Panamanian flagged cargo vessel anchored off Singapore according to ship tracking websites.

No Singaporean media carry reports of violence incidents aboard the ship.

A since-deleted Facebook page, published a post on Sunday claiming that a Samoan sailor had been involved in criminal activity aboard the vessel.

The Samoa Observer has chosen not to name the sailor identified in the post and has found no evidence to support the allegation.

The post was shared widely on social media.

After 5pm on Monday, the Ministry of Police, Prisons and Corrections announced the deletion of the Toa O Samoa page.

“Facebook in collaboration with the Samoa Police Service has removed the O TOA O SAMOA page due to its online abusive and bullying content,” the Police said on their Facebook page.

“Samoa Police Service will continue to monitor online platforms that are abusive and has bullying content. Cyber bullying should not be tolerated.”

Police warned against bullying and online harassment.

“We urge our Samoan online community that Facebook is a tool to stay connected with friends and loved one. It is also an important platform for the business community,” said Police.

“It should not be used as a platform for fake keyboard warriors to incite bullying and online harassment."