Search halted for an overboard Norwegian Cruise Line passenger. NCL says he jumped
The search for a male passenger who went overboard off a Norwegian Cruise Line ship early Sunday morning has been suspended, according to Maritime New Zealand.
That announcement was made around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, U.S. Eastern time, which is 12:30 p.m. Monday in New Zealand. Maritime New Zealand said it would consider resuming the search near Mahia Peninsula.
NCL said Sunday afternoon that the passenger, a 62-year-old Australian man, willingly jumped from the Norwegian Jewel.
“As confirmed by our CCTV cameras and witness statements, on Dec. 29, 2019, a 62-year-old Australian male guest deliberately jumped overboard while the vessel was sailing from Napier, New Zealand,” an NCL spokesman emailed the Miami Herald. “The authorities were notified and a search and rescue operation ensued immediately. Unfortunately, the guest has not been found. Our thoughts and prayers are with the individual’s family during this difficult time.”
Instead of pulling into port at Tauranga, New Zealand, Monday morning, NCL said the Jewel would stay at sea and dock next on New Year’s Eve in Auckland.
Bad weather ended Sunday’s search by the Jewel, three helicopters and two container ships. It resumed around 6 a.m. Monday in New Zealand (noon, Sunday, in the United States’ Eastern time zone) with a New Zealand Coast Guard unit with helicopter assistance.
A New Zealand Herald report said Maritime NZ’s Rescue Coordination Centre began their search at 7 p.m. Sunday, which would be around 1 a.m. Sunday, Eastern time, in the United States.
This story was originally published December 29, 2019 at 1:23 PM.
