A 73-year-old man passed away following an incident where he fell overboard from the Disney Wonder cruise ship over the weekend. The individual, a resident of Melbourne, reportedly fell off the ship while en route to Auckland on Saturday morning. A search operation was initiated by the crew, lasting approximately five hours, but unfortunately, the man could not be located. The vessel was compelled to change its course in the Tasman Sea to facilitate search and rescue operations with the aid of thermal imaging cameras.

The man is said to have fallen from the ship around 4:30 am, with fellow passengers only becoming aware of the situation several hours later, at approximately 12 pm. Passenger Mitch Talbot shared with 7News that the captain informed the passengers about the incident and the unsuccessful search efforts. The atmosphere on board turned somber and unsettling for the remainder of the day, with staff taking time to process the events.

Victoria Police confirmed on Sunday that the man’s body was still missing, and they stated that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident. The Disney Wonder resumed its voyage, and travelers are anticipated to arrive in New Zealand one day later than originally planned. The cruise ship has a capacity for up to 1,750 passengers spread across 11 decks.

Further details have been sought from Victoria Police by the Mirror. Stay updated with the latest news by subscribing to email alerts for the most significant stories of the day.