A sombre atmosphere has settled over the Disney Wonder after a Melbourne man fell overboard into the Tasman Sea early Saturday morning and is now presumed dead.
Passengers first realised something was wrong when the vessel abruptly turned around just before midday. A police spokeswoman said it is understood the 73-year-old man from Moonee Ponds died after jumping from the ship about 4.30am. His body has not yet been found, though Victoria Police are not treating the death as suspicious.
The cruise liner retraced its route for around five hours, circling the waters as crew undertook urgent search efforts. Decks were manned and thermal imaging cameras deployed in a desperate attempt to locate the missing passenger.
“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,” passenger Mitch Talbot said.
“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.”
Despite extensive efforts, there was no trace of the man, and the Disney Wonder has since resumed its journey to New Zealand, where it is expected to arrive a day behind schedule.
Carrying up to 1750 passengers across 11 decks, the five-night Melbourne to Auckland voyage is one of the final trips Disney Cruise Line will operate in Australian waters for the foreseeable future. The company announced earlier this year it would be “bidding a fond farewell for now” following its 2025/26 season, though future returns remain under consideration.
Its final local departure is scheduled for January 30 from Sydney before the Disney Wonder heads to Honolulu.
Passengers and crew continue to grapple with shock and sadness as the ship presses on — a journey now marked by tragedy instead of celebration.
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Image: Disney Wonder
