Disney Wonder cruise: Man, 73, dies after falling overboard during voyage heading towards Auckland
A 73-year-old man has died after falling overboard from the Disney Wonder cruise this weekend.
The pensioner, from Melbourne, is believed to have plunged from the ship on Saturday morning as it headed towards Auckland. A desperate search was launched as crew searched the water for roughly five hours before announcing they had been unable to locate the man.
The ship was forced turned around in the Tasman Sea as search and rescue efforts were carried out with the use of thermal imaging cameras. The man is understood to have fallen from the ship about 4.30am, but passengers first noticed the change in course several hours later, at around 12pm.
Passenger Mitch Talbot told 7News: "The captain came on and updated the boat and basically stated that there was someone, a passenger had fallen overboard … (but) that they were unable to find them. 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”. Victoria Police said on Sunday that the man's body had not yet been recovered, the Herald Sun reports. "The death is not being treated as suspicious," the force said in a statement.
The Disney Wonder has since continued its journey and passengers are set to reach New Zealand on Wednesday - one day later than scheduled.