The Batemans Bay Local Court Magistrate and prosecutor appeared unsettled by the news, which came as they were dealing with the case against a Philippines national charged over the June 20 incident.

Magistrate Chris Bone was discussing the issue of whether to grant Cerbo Eljoey Azunar bail when a representative from the Bison Express shipping company said the accused had a flight booked to Manila on Saturday.

The court was temporarily adjourned while solicitor George Pikoulas discussed the matter with the representative and a Tagalog translator for Mr Azunar.

The court was told last week that the victim was with another 25-year-old singing karaoke in the mess area of the ship, close to where Mr Azunar was sleeping.

The accused initially approached the two men and turned off the television connected to the karaoke machine.

The victim and other man turned it back on and continued to sing.

It was alleged Mr Azunar returned and turned down the television volume before a fight broke out between himself and the alleged victim.

The court was told Mr Azunar produced a knife from his pants and pointed it at the victim.

It was alleged that in the struggle that followed Mr Azunar stabbed the other man in the back through his right shoulder blade. The victim managed to get away from the accused and was given first aid for his serious injury. He was later airlifted to Bega Hospital, then to Canberra Hospital for surgery.

The accused, who is on a 15-day visa, will have to wait months before the case is compiled by the Commonwealth Attorney General. The man's history and any prior convictions in the Philippines could take months to be revealed.

Mr Pikoulas said no plane ticket had been purchased for Mr Azunar when the court resumed and that his client would plead not guilty to the charge of malicious wounding.