Tragedy at Sea: Search for Missing Passenger Ends
A 73-year-old man from Melbourne, Australia, is presumed dead after falling overboard from the Disney Wonder cruise ship in the early hours of Saturday morning. The incident occurred in the Tasman Sea at around 4.30am while the vessel was on a five-day voyage from Melbourne to Auckland.
Extensive Search and Rescue Operation
Following the alarm being raised, the ship was turned around to initiate a major search and rescue mission. The crew utilised thermal imaging and surveillance cameras for more than five hours in a desperate attempt to locate the missing passenger.
In a statement on Sunday, Victoria Police confirmed the tragic news, stating: “It is understood the man died after he jumped from a cruise liner into waters in the Tasman Sea on Saturday, about 4.30am.” The police force confirmed they are not treating the man’s death as suspicious.
Impact on the Voyage and Passengers
As a direct result of the incident and the subsequent search, the Disney Wonder is now expected to arrive in New Zealand a full day later than originally scheduled. The ship, which can host over 1,750 guests, departed on its journey on 20 November.
Passenger Mitch Talbot described the sombre mood onboard after the captain informed everyone of the event. “The captain came on and updated the boat and basically stated that there was someone, a passenger, who had fallen overboard ... (but) that they were unable to find them,” Talbot told 7News. He added, “It was quite sombre, and it was just a bit eerie for the rest of the day. A lot of the staff kind of took some time.”
This tragic event follows another recent overboard incident involving a Disney cruise, where a five-year-old girl fell from the Disney Dream in June. Her father heroically jumped in to save her, and the child's mother was later informed she would not face criminal charges.
