A 73-year-old man passed away after falling off the Disney Wonder cruise ship during the weekend. The man, a resident of Melbourne, reportedly fell overboard on Saturday morning while the ship was en route to Auckland. Despite a five-hour search by the crew, the man could not be located, leading to the ship turning back in the Tasman Sea for further search efforts using thermal imaging cameras.
The incident occurred around 4:30 am, but other passengers only noticed the change in course hours later around noon. Passenger Mitch Talbot recounted that the captain informed the passengers about the overboard situation, stating the unsuccessful search efforts. The atmosphere onboard turned somber and unsettling for the remainder of the day.
Victoria Police confirmed that the man’s body had not been found yet and clarified that the death was not considered suspicious. The Disney Wonder resumed its journey, with passengers now expected to arrive in New Zealand a day later than initially planned. The ship can accommodate up to 1,750 passengers spread across 11 decks.
The Mirror has reached out to Victoria Police for additional details.