A 73‑year‑old man is missing after falling overboard from the Disney Wonder on a Melbourne‑to‑Auckland voyage — a Disney Cruise Line passenger falls overboard, authorities say.
The incident happened at about 4:30 am local time on Saturday, 22 November, aboard the Disney Wonder while the ship was on a Melbourne‑to‑Auckland voyage, 7 News Australia reported, citing Victoria Police.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman told the outlet: “It is understood the man died after he jumped from a cruise liner into the waters in the Tasman Sea.” The missing man’s identity has not been released.
Maritime Search Conducted For Five Hours
According to 7 News, the Disney Wonder turned back after the overboard report, and the crew conducted a maritime search for about 5 hours but were unable to find the passenger. The search covered waters in the Tasman Sea as the ship and its crew followed standard man‑overboard procedures.
Passenger Mitch Talbot said the captain announced that a passenger had gone overboard and that the crew was searching for the missing passenger but had not yet located them.
He told 7 News it left the atmosphere onboard “quite sombre” and “a bit eerie the rest of the day,” and that many staff took time to collect themselves following the incident.
7 News Australia additionally reported the missing man was from the north Melbourne suburb of Moonee Ponds.
Victoria Police said they are not treating the death as suspicious, and a coroner’s inquiry has been opened to establish the cause of death, WDWNT News Today reported. Further details, including any post‑mortem findings or timelines, will be confirmed by the coroner’s office.
The Disney Wonder is continuing to Auckland and is now expected to arrive a day behind schedule on Wednesday, 26 November, 7 News Australia reports. Passengers were informed of the delay after the ship turned back and conducted an onboard search.
