Australian man missing after falling overboard from cruise ship

A horrible situation unfolded on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, which departed from Brisbane on April 12 en route to Hawaii.

Royal Caribbean has confirmed that one of their passengers had gone overboard at about 11:30 pm on Wednesday.



According to the cruise operator, the Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas is due to dock in Honolulu on Friday (April 28) after stopping at the island of Tahiti. This is where the nightmare began when an Australian man went overboard on the cruise ship 1,400 km south of Hawaii – 15 days after the ship departed from Brisbane.

Breaking news reports that the man who fell overboard is believed to be the partner of the passenger who passed away on the vessel following the medical emergency.

A man, together with his family, on the ship told reporters that there was a show during the night. During the festivities, the crew announced that there was a medical emergency, and the person ‘apparently passed away’.

‘About 90 minutes later, the call went out that someone went overboard, and it turned out to be the partner of the person who passed away earlier,’ he claimed.

As of writing, there is no confirmation of these claims from the cruise operator.


ship.jpg
Authorities are looking desperately for the man. Credit: Shutterstock

One of the passengers aboard the ship, Ivan Rukavina from Melbourne, confirmed hearing that there had been a medical emergency a few hours before the incident.

According to Mr Rukavina, he then heard ‘Oscar, Oscar, Oscar’ being announced over the cruise ship’s loudspeaker – a code that meant someone fell overboard.

Based on Mr Rukavina’s claims, the man fell from the 15th-story balcony, about 20 metres above his room and directly above the main pool area.

He also mentioned that it wouldn’t have been hard to jump over the glass railing.

‘If he’s jumped off mid-ship... he would have been sucked in by the motors,’ he said.

The man’s identity and how he went overboard is not yet known.



On the night of the incident, shocked passengers told reporters they were ordered to return to their cabins and ensure they were with all of their travelling companions. They were allowed to leave their rooms about two hours later.

Following the incident, rescuers attempted to lower lifeboats into the water. According to Mr Rukavina, the crew were desperately trying to turn on the lights on the lifeboats.

‘I heard someone say “there are no lights”,’ he shared. The search and rescue operation occurred for two and a half hours before the ship resumed its original course.

The US Coast Guard is believed to have taken over the search efforts.

‘That’s why our ship continued to go,’ Mr Rukavina explained.


ship1.jpg
The coast guard has taken over the search and rescue operations. Credit: Shutterstock

Rescuers have deployed a Hercules aircraft with a GPS system and cameras, hoping that this will help with efforts to find the man.

‘While on its trans-pacific sailing, a guest onboard Quantum of the Seas went overboard,’ a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean told reporters.

‘The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities,’ the spokesperson added.

The cruise line captain claimed the ship was immediately brought to a halt following the incident, and the staff quickly launched the search and rescue operation.



Ben Fordham, host of 2GB radio, read out emails sent by listeners who claimed to be onboard the ship and recalled the incidents during the night.

One email read: ‘Some [were] saying cameras on deck saw [a man] go over. Others say the crew has confirmed the passenger did go over last night, and there was only so much they could do.’

One man said that, at first, the cruise line didn’t make a big deal out of the situation even after hearing the ‘Oscar’ announcement over the loudspeakers.

‘They didn’t make a big deal about it. It was mainly for staff and crew, but an hour later, things got more serious,’ he shared.

He continued: ‘They started doing announcements over the loudspeaker saying “potential man overboard” and that everyone had to go back to their room.’

Some passengers reported the incident on social media and shared photos of the lifeboats being prepared for use.

‘It was pitch black. They had tossed half a dozen life vests in the water with the automatic beacons,’ one passenger noted.

‘The seas weren’t very pleasant,’ another replied.

It is not believed that the man fell overboard due to suspicious circumstances. Other ships in the area have been asked to be on the lookout for the missing man.

As of writing, no further news has been released on the incident.
Key Takeaways

  • An Australian man fell overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship en route to Hawaii.
  • Chaos ensued on board as crew members attempted to lower lifeboats and conduct a head count.
  • The US Coast Guard has taken over the search efforts to locate the man.
  • The incident occurred on the Quantum of the Seas cruise, which is scheduled to conclude in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Friday (April 28).
We hope that the US Coast Guard is successful in their search efforts. We’ll be keeping the man's family in our thoughts and prayers.

UPDATE: The US Coast Guard suspended the search for the missing man identified as 35-year-old Warwick Tollemache on Friday, April 28. Reports say the decision was made in consultation with Australian consulate officials and Tollemache's family.
 
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Have been on lots of cruises, you cannot just fall overboard, you have to climb over the railing they are put there for a reason, they are chest high depending on how tall you are. Don't forget it take a few kl's for a ship to turn around, buckleys of finding who ever went over. Cruises always have people die especially World cruises I think the last one we were on there was about 10 dead.
 
Being on a few cruises I cannot see a person falling overboard accidently as the ship's railings are pretty high. falling or jumping you would fall at the side of the ship, and I would think before the ship could be stopped the propellers would suck anything into their propulsion, you would be very lucky to be saved, may miracles happen
 
I've been on quite a few cruises and the last one we went on we met a couple who told us the last 2 cruises they went on people had died and if someone died on this cruise it would be their last.
They also said that a crew person said how alot of people especially the elderly go in cruises to die.

This tragic accident is so sad.
If this person had just lost his partner then why was he left alone.

Very very sad
 
Very sad news. Also considering that his partner passed away on the cruise and this happens. Very sad for both families and their friends.

Had a few travel claims where people have passed away on the cruise and people thinking that this will be their last chance to travel. Thinking that they have their room there, food and other people. There's not much to see unless coming into land. I really believe that people think that they will make it back to port in Australia. They do not consider sea sickness or food poisoning which happens a lot.
 
Very sad news. Also considering that his partner passed away on the cruise and this happens. Very sad for both families and their friends.

Had a few travel claims where people have passed away on the cruise and people thinking that this will be their last chance to travel. Thinking that they have their room there, food and other people. There's not much to see unless coming into land. I really believe that people think that they will make it back to port in Australia. They do not consider sea sickness or food poisoning which happens a lot.
It must be heavy dealing with such claims, especially when the passing was sudden and unexpected :(
 
It must be heavy dealing with such claims, especially when the passing was sudden and unexpected :(
Yes. I had a number of them and not just on cruise ships. There are some claims that live with me forever, claims where the event was beyond tragic. People think that it's just paperwork but I was speaking to the spouse, parent or a relative that has been approved to help out with paperwork. There were many types of claims separate to travel claims and there was one or more fatalities involved. A lot on the news and overseas news/media. There are a lot of claims that never make the media here but on the news overseas and that's just for Australians. Sadly happening all the time. When working in claims and dealing with sudden deaths, you get use to sudden medical episodes because they do happen. It's the traumatic ones that last forever in your mind, or the ones were the spouse/family are truly grateful for the help that a kind friendly and good advice from the insurance person helps them to come to terms with not only their loss but dealing with the paperwork they need. I have a number of thank you letters and home and there were many more which I wish I had taken a photo-copy, but I remember what was in their letters.
 
Yes. I had a number of them and not just on cruise ships. There are some claims that live with me forever, claims where the event was beyond tragic. People think that it's just paperwork but I was speaking to the spouse, parent or a relative that has been approved to help out with paperwork. There were many types of claims separate to travel claims and there was one or more fatalities involved. A lot on the news and overseas news/media. There are a lot of claims that never make the media here but on the news overseas and that's just for Australians. Sadly happening all the time. When working in claims and dealing with sudden deaths, you get use to sudden medical episodes because they do happen. It's the traumatic ones that last forever in your mind, or the ones were the spouse/family are truly grateful for the help that a kind friendly and good advice from the insurance person helps them to come to terms with not only their loss but dealing with the paperwork they need. I have a number of thank you letters and home and there were many more which I wish I had taken a photo-copy, but I remember what was in their letters.
1 year ago a close friend's son was killed while riding his motorbike home from work . This happened just down the road from where he worked.
He turned the corner came off his bike and his head went into the tyre of a parked car. His neck was broken and he died instantly.
He had a helmet on and it was a Saturday afternoon at 4pm.

He left behind a wife and 2 kids under 4. He was just 35.

He had insurance which is still going on. They are trying to see if he was negligent.
We know it was a freak accident. He was an excellent rider and careful.

In your view are insurance companies fair.
 
1 year ago a close friend's son was killed while riding his motorbike home from work . This happened just down the road from where he worked.
He turned the corner came off his bike and his head went into the tyre of a parked car. His neck was broken and he died instantly.
He had a helmet on and it was a Saturday afternoon at 4pm.

He left behind a wife and 2 kids under 4. He was just 35.

He had insurance which is still going on. They are trying to see if he was negligent.
We know it was a freak accident. He was an excellent rider and careful.

In your view are insurance companies fair.
Very sad news.

Please excuse the CAPS... I'm simply trying to draw your attention to Facts. Plus a lengthy read, but if even some of this may help, then I'm writing everything I can think of. You may be able to help this wife and children. Freak accidents 'do happen and they happen all the time.' The claims that I had to deal with were unbelievable. I still think about them to this day.

Some history is as well, I had a work colleague that I was training in claims about 1986. He was only 19 and he left the office in a hurry. It started to rain heavily and there had been no rain for many days which meant that there was lots of oil/vehicle residue on the road. It causes cars, buses and yes, even motorcycles to slip. This may be a factor on why he lost control. Anyway, he was driving his motor bike and he lost control and went straight into a pole and was k*lled outright. He was just 19. There was another gentleman in his 60's that I knew. De Facto hubby of a lovely lady and his case was on Sydney news. It is believed that an animal ran in front of him, maybe even hitting the motorcycle tyre and caused him to completely loose control. He was also k*lled outright.

Pay attention to just those two examples above. It is impossible for the insurer and/or the police to come to 'A Complete and Utter TRUTH... that's right TRUTH ... of how the accident occurred. They were not there and unless CLEARLY CAUGHT ON CAMERAS & IS CRYSTAL CLEAR ON THAT FILM .... then there is ''''No Way''''' they can say what caused the accident. If the speed cameras before and well before did not catch him speeding (no speeding ticket $fine from that night from where he drove from to where the accident occurred) and did not go through a Red Light (again no Red Light $Fine). Plus, how many accidents have been there before. Was there a Speed Bump that glistened from the street light because it was night time. Because it was raining or had rain and was wet. Plus, what is his Driving History like. Good, Excellent. Does he have a Gold Licence.

The very sad thing about so many insurance companies, and worse yet in some of the people that work in them. You may have a great Claims Office and yet have a very dreadful office environment, including bad Team Leader & bad Claims Manager. If anything, every claims office needs to be efficient, effective, and pro-active in getting the claim settled. If the claim is covered, then it's covered. If even if 30% of a claim is covered, then that 30% must be settled and the remaining 70% declined.

I had a couple of different claims that occurred overseas and young people travelling on their own. Because of where they were the countries and areas they were in did not have morgues. They were cremated straight away as there was no place to store their remains and wait for Repatriation of Remains back to Australia. It was outside the family's control in both cases and will continue to be that way for any similar claims. I recommended the claims for settlement. I approached management in both cases and stated WHY and just authorise the settlement. I also had Cheque Authority but one can not authorise their own claim recommendation. There are more examples of claims where I had $More settled and Fast. Don't get me wrong, I had my own 'extreme number of idiot managers & team leaders, if you can even call them that. The world is full of fools and narcissus. Trying to communicate and educate a narcissus that is a Team Leader or Manager is dealing with a Brick Wall. Pink Floyd understood this in every detail.


This part is very important and I want to tell you and let everyone that reads this to know this fact and that fact is: The Insurer get's one opportunity to decline a claim and one opportunity only. If they even part settle & part deny like the approx. above percentage, then the same rule applies. The insurer can not come back in the future and say that they have more information that would further support the denial. They get that denial wrong in any way and there's an opening for the claim to be settled, the insurer 'can not' write a second denial letter and then include more information.

Have your friends include the night/day/rain conditions, whether oil on the road, even a tyre blow out, a small child that darted out and he swerved to miss. Even an animal.

Also, I'm guessing this gentleman had Greenslip Insurance to cover himself, also Superannuation insurance that covers Life Insurance, also may have Mortgage Protection Insurance that includes Life Insurance, plus, Personal Accident insurance and maybe also Life Insurance as well.

Also, the claims rules differ for Greenslip insurance, Life insurance, Mortgage Life insurance, superannuation Life insurance, Personal Accident Life insurance. Sadly Worker's Compensation insurance no longer covers someone on their way to work or on their way home from work. I'm at total disbelief that this was even allowed and passed Australia-wide. I'm pretty sure it's now Australia-wide. The Insurance Laws differ as they do

There is another thing that may help this family and that is if they have a Gold, platinum, Diamond, Black credit card(s) and those cards are only in his name, they may have some re-course there from the banks.

Tell the wife and family to always keep at least 2-4 files of every bit of paperwork that they send in and/or email. Tell them to keep it in date order. They are back-up's in case the insurer says they did not receive the paperwork. Also, the 4th file should be medical docs in date order including a copy of the Death certificate. The insurer should not be asking for the original Death certificate.

ALSO: Insurance companies have '''Time Lines''' to action incoming mail of any kind, making a claims decision, even claims assessor's have time-lines. People need to help this lady and get copies of all the RULES for each type of policy she may be dealing with. For example, Travel Claims, House, Motor Vehicle Damage, Commercial claims (shops, business fires). They have 10 days for each piece of mail to be actioned. They need to continue to update the insured/claimant even if that means asking for more documents/information. If an assessor, then they have more time but the claimant needs to be updated by the insurer and/or assessor within the 'Time Frame.' Any Breach is just that, BREACH each and every offence by the insurer. So, get the rules she can get that from the insurer and/or pass A Letter of Authority for someone (name the person) who can get what she needs and/or send what they need ... all on her behalf.


Plus, there are these organisations as well: Claims Dispute,






If you need more maybe best to speak on the phone.
 
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Very sad news.

Please excuse the CAPS... I'm simply trying to draw your attention to Facts. Plus a lengthy read, but if even some of this may help, then I'm writing everything I can think of. You may be able to help this wife and children. Freak accidents 'do happen and they happen all the time.' The claims that I had to deal with were unbelievable. I still think about them to this day.

Some history is as well, I had a work colleague that I was training in claims about 1986. He was only 19 and he left the office in a hurry. It started to rain heavily and there had been no rain for many days which meant that there was lots of oil/vehicle residue on the road. It causes cars, buses and yes, even motorcycles to slip. This may be a factor on why he lost control. Anyway, he was driving his motor bike and he lost control and went straight into a pole and was k*lled outright. He was just 19. There was another gentleman in his 60's that I knew. De Facto hubby of a lovely lady and his case was on Sydney news. It is believed that an animal ran in front of him, maybe even hitting the motorcycle tyre and caused him to completely loose control. He was also k*lled outright.

Pay attention to just those two examples above. It is impossible for the insurer and/or the police to come to 'A Complete and Utter TRUTH... that's right TRUTH ... of how the accident occurred. They were not there and unless CLEARLY CAUGHT ON CAMERAS & IS CRYSTAL CLEAR ON THAT FILM .... then there is ''''No Way''''' they can say what caused the accident. If the speed cameras before and well before did not catch him speeding (no speeding ticket $fine from that night from where he drove from to where the accident occurred) and did not go through a Red Light (again no Red Light $Fine). Plus, how many accidents have been there before. Was there a Speed Bump that glistened from the street light because it was night time. Because it was raining or had rain and was wet. Plus, what is his Driving History like. Good, Excellent. Does he have a Gold Licence.

The very sad thing about so many insurance companies, and worse yet in some of the people that work in them. You may have a great Claims Office and yet have a very dreadful office environment, including bad Team Leader & bad Claims Manager. If anything, every claims office needs to be efficient, effective, and pro-active in getting the claim settled. If the claim is covered, then it's covered. If even if 30% of a claim is covered, then that 30% must be settled and the remaining 70% declined.

I had a couple of different claims that occurred overseas and young people travelling on their own. Because of where they were the countries and areas they were in did not have morgues. They were cremated straight away as there was no place to store their remains and wait for Repatriation of Remains back to Australia. It was outside the family's control in both cases and will continue to be that way for any similar claims. I recommended the claims for settlement. I approached management in both cases and stated WHY and just authorise the settlement. I also had Cheque Authority but one can not authorise their own claim recommendation. There are more examples of claims where I had $More settled and Fast. Don't get me wrong, I had my own 'extreme number of idiot managers & team leaders, if you can even call them that. The world is full of fools and narcissus. Trying to communicate and educate a narcissus that is a Team Leader or Manager is dealing with a Brick Wall. Pink Floyd understood this in every detail.


This part is very important and I want to tell you and let everyone that reads this to know this fact and that fact is: The Insurer get's one opportunity to decline a claim and one opportunity only. If they even part settle & part deny like the approx. above percentage, then the same rule applies. The insurer can not come back in the future and say that they have more information that would further support the denial. They get that denial wrong in any way and there's an opening for the claim to be settled, the insurer 'can not' write a second denial letter and then include more information.

Have your friends include the night/day/rain conditions, whether oil on the road, even a tyre blow out, a small child that darted out and he swerved to miss. Even an animal.

Also, I'm guessing this gentleman had Greenslip Insurance to cover himself, also Superannuation insurance that covers Life Insurance, also may have Mortgage Protection Insurance that includes Life Insurance, plus, Personal Accident insurance and maybe also Life Insurance as well.

Also, the claims rules differ for Greenslip insurance, Life insurance, Mortgage Life insurance, superannuation Life insurance, Personal Accident Life insurance. Sadly Worker's Compensation insurance no longer covers someone on there way to work or on their way home from insurance. I'm at total disbelief that this was even allowed and passed Australia-wide. I'm pretty sure it's now Australia-wide. The Insurance Laws differ as they do

There is another thing that may help this family and that is if they have a Gold, platinum, Diamond, Black credit card(s) and those cards are only in his name, they may have some re-course there from the banks.

Tell the wife and family to always keep at least 2-4 files of every bit of paperwork that they send in and/or email. Tell them to keep it in date order. They are back-up's in case the insurer says they did not receive the paperwork. Also, the 4th file should be medical docs in date order including a copy of the Death certificate. The insurer should not be asking for the original Death certificate.

ALSO: Insurance companies have '''Time Lines''' to action incoming mail of any kind, making a claims decision, even claims assessor's have time-lines. People need to help this lady and get copies of all the RULES for each type of policy she may be dealing with. For example, Travel Claims, House, Motor Vehicle Damage, Commercial claims (shops, business fires). They have 10 days for each piece of mail to be actioned. They need to continue to update the insured/claimant even if that means asking for more documents/information. If an assessor, then they have more time but the claimant needs to be updated by the insurer and/or assessor within the 'Time Frame.' Any Breach is just that, BREACH each and every offence by the insurer. So, get the rules she can get that from the insurer and/or pass A Letter of Authority for someone (name the person) who can get what she needs and/or send what they need ... all on her behalf.


Plus, there are these organisations as well: Claims Dispute,






If you need more maybe best to speak on the phone.
Wow thank you I will pass it all on to the family. You are amazing .
 
Wow thank you I will pass it all on to the family. You are amazing .
I was hoping you'd see my reply and like I said, i just thought of this.I've just had another thought. It came from a Marine cargo transit Claim. I have worked at a number of insurance claims for 35 years and now medically retired. But during that 35 years I worked at an insurance broker for about 1.5 until made redundant. I handled all the insurance claims for their clients and dealt with the many insurance companies. I was employed by the insurance broker to ensure that claims that were covered were settled and if not, were truly not covered. An insured is entitled to lodge a claim even if not covered.

The Marine Cargo claim was an expensive office item that was being sent within Australia, from one office to another office interstate within Australia. The client had the 'Good sense' to contact the manufacturer and they actually purchased the packing box & box insultation for the office item from the manufacturer PLUS.... YES PLUS... the packing guidelines.

The item was damaged in the transit.

I ensured that the client sent me absolutely everything including a copy of the packing material invoice & packing guidelines. The insurer had everything. I knew that when I sent it to them that whoever handled this claim, probably a manager as well egged it on ... and that Denial letter arrived. The denial was stated that the client had NOT packed the item correctly. I couldn't believe ... but what do I do now. I saw one of the managers of the insurance broker and he read through the file and handed the file back to me and inside was his own letter back to the insurer.
He supported m and stated that I did a great job and to look inside and read his letter back to the insurer. 1980's.


HIS LETTER WAS QUIET SIMPLY: The insured has proof that he purchased the exact same size box that the item that they pack it it. The insured has also supported proof as well of the purchase of the packing materials and manufacturer's packing guidelines. They did all of this and yet you state it was packed incorrectly and denied the claim on this basis.

Please advise in writing "HOW YOU WOULD HAVE PACKED THE ITEM?"

The settlement cheque for the full claim amount arrived in the broker's office the following week. Yes, I told the manager. I and he learnt from that claim. Learning all the time. My eyes wide awake.

If the insured and or police state that he was driving incorrectly ..... THEN THE SAME SIMILAR QUESTION needs to be asked.

"How would they have driven this motorcycle?"

Even the police, the police officer that has done the police report that probably states this. How would he/she/they have ridden this motorcycle?

However, needs to wait for the insurer to make a claim decision and if denial, then throw it back at them. Throw it back into their faces. But, be polite but smart. Always play the smart card. A How would they have done it if they were him?
 
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I was hoping you'd see my reply and like I said, i just thought of this.I've just had another thought. It came from a Marine cargo transit Claim. I have worked at a number of insurance claims for 35 years and now medically retired. But during that 35 years I worked at an insurance broker for about 1.5 until made redundant. I handled all the insurance claims for their clients and dealt with the many insurance companies. I was employed by the insurance broker to ensure that claims that were covered were settled and if not, were truly not covered. An insured is entitled to lodge a claim even if not covered.

The Marine Cargo claim was an expensive office item that was being sent within Australia, from one office to another office interstate within Australia. The client had the 'Good sense' to contact the manufacturer and they actually purchased the packing box & box insultation for the office item from the manufacturer PLUS.... YES PLUS... the packing guidelines.

The item was damaged in the transit.

I ensured that the client sent me absolutely everything including a copy of the packing material invoice & packing guidelines. The insurer had everything. I knew that when I sent it to them that whoever handled this claim, probably a manager as well egged it on ... and that Denial letter arrived. The denial was stated that the client had NOT packed the item correctly. I couldn't believe ... but what do I do now. I saw one of the managers of the insurance broker and he read through the file and handed the file back to me and inside was his own letter back to the insurer.
He supported m and stated that I did a great job and to look inside and read his letter back to the insurer. 1980's.


HIS LETTER WAS QUIET SIMPLY: The insured has proof that he purchased the exact same size box that the item that they pack it it. The insured has also supported proof as well of the purchase of the packing materials and manufacturer's packing guidelines. They did all of this and yet you state it was packed incorrectly and denied the claim on this basis.

Please advise in writing "HOW YOU WOULD HAVE PACKED THE ITEM?"

The settlement cheque for the full claim amount arrived in the broker's office the following week. Yes, I told the manager. I and he learnt from that claim. Learning all the time. My eyes wide awake.

If the insured and or police state that he was driving incorrectly ..... THEN THE SAME SIMILAR QUESTION needs to be asked.

"How would they have driven this motorcycle?"

Even the police, the police officer that has done the police report that probably states this. How would he/she/they have ridden this motorcycle?

However, needs to wait for the insurer to make a claim decision and if denial, then throw it back at them. Throw it back into their faces. But, be polite but smart. Always play the smart card. A How would they have done it if they were him?
You were in the wrong job ! You should have been a lawyer. I sent you a private message
 
In the beginning they said that his partner died a couple of hours earlier but it turned out they never knew each other.
Apparently there were three incidents as told by a passenger .

Cameras on board should show if he jumped or fell.
Was he on the cruise by himself ?

It always worried me when on cruises the if someone got very intoxicated and bent over the rails to look or vomit that they could fall in.

With all these deaths on cruise ships either from going overboard or natural courses , I wondering 🤔 if there is something more sinister going on
 
A horrible situation unfolded on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, which departed from Brisbane on April 12 en route to Hawaii.







Royal Caribbean has confirmed that one of their passengers had gone overboard at about 11:30 pm on Wednesday.















According to the cruise operator, the Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas is due to dock in Honolulu on Friday (April 28) after stopping at the island of Tahiti. This is where the nightmare began when an Australian man went overboard on the cruise ship 1,400 km south of Hawaii – 15 days after the ship departed from Brisbane.







Breaking news reports that the man who fell overboard is believed to be the partner of the passenger who passed away on the vessel following the medical emergency.







A man, together with his family, on the ship told reporters that there was a show during the night. During the festivities, the crew announced that there was a medical emergency, and the person ‘apparently passed away’.







‘About 90 minutes later, the call went out that someone went overboard, and it turned out to be the partner of the person who passed away earlier,’ he claimed.







As of writing, there is no confirmation of these claims from the cruise operator.















Authorities are looking desperately for the man. Credit: Shutterstock








One of the passengers aboard the ship, Ivan Rukavina from Melbourne, confirmed hearing that there had been a medical emergency a few hours before the incident.







According to Mr Rukavina, he then heard ‘Oscar, Oscar, Oscar’ being announced over the cruise ship’s loudspeaker – a code that meant someone fell overboard.







Based on Mr Rukavina’s claims, the man fell from the 15th-story balcony, about 20 metres above his room and directly above the main pool area.







He also mentioned that it wouldn’t have been hard to jump over the glass railing.







‘If he’s jumped off mid-ship... he would have been sucked in by the motors,’ he said.







The man’s identity and how he went overboard is not yet known.















On the night of the incident, shocked passengers told reporters they were ordered to return to their cabins and ensure they were with all of their travelling companions. They were allowed to leave their rooms about two hours later.







Following the incident, rescuers attempted to lower lifeboats into the water. According to Mr Rukavina, the crew were desperately trying to turn on the lights on the lifeboats.







‘I heard someone say “there are no lights”,’ he shared. The search and rescue operation occurred for two and a half hours before the ship resumed its original course.







The US Coast Guard is believed to have taken over the search efforts.







‘That’s why our ship continued to go,’ Mr Rukavina explained.















The coast guard has taken over the search and rescue operations. Credit: Shutterstock








Rescuers have deployed a Hercules aircraft with a GPS system and cameras, hoping that this will help with efforts to find the man.







‘While on its trans-pacific sailing, a guest onboard Quantum of the Seas went overboard,’ a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean told reporters.







‘The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities,’ the spokesperson added.







The cruise line captain claimed the ship was immediately brought to a halt following the incident, and the staff quickly launched the search and rescue operation.















Ben Fordham, host of 2GB radio, read out emails sent by listeners who claimed to be onboard the ship and recalled the incidents during the night.







One email read: ‘Some [were] saying cameras on deck saw [a man] go over. Others say the crew has confirmed the passenger did go over last night, and there was only so much they could do.’







One man said that, at first, the cruise line didn’t make a big deal out of the situation even after hearing the ‘Oscar’ announcement over the loudspeakers.







‘They didn’t make a big deal about it. It was mainly for staff and crew, but an hour later, things got more serious,’ he shared.







He continued: ‘They started doing announcements over the loudspeaker saying “potential man overboard” and that everyone had to go back to their room.’







Some passengers reported the incident on social media and shared photos of the lifeboats being prepared for use.







‘It was pitch black. They had tossed half a dozen life vests in the water with the automatic beacons,’ one passenger noted.







‘The seas weren’t very pleasant,’ another replied.







It is not believed that the man fell overboard due to suspicious circumstances. Other ships in the area have been asked to be on the lookout for the missing man.







As of writing, no further news has been released on the incident.



Key Takeaways




An Australian man fell overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship en route to Hawaii.

Chaos ensued on board as crew members attempted to lower lifeboats and conduct a head count.

The US Coast Guard has taken over the search efforts to locate the man.

The incident occurred on the Quantum of the Seas cruise, which is scheduled to conclude in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Friday (April 28).




We hope that the US Coast Guard is successful in their search efforts. We’ll be keeping , he man's family in our thoughts and prayers.







UPDATE: The US Coast Guard suspended the search for the missing man identified asVery 35-year-old Warwick Tollemache on Friday, April 28. Reports say the decision was made in consultation with Australian consulate officials and Tollemache's family.



Very sad situation
 
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I was on a cruise once and a crew member jumped over board.The ship circled the area for a couple of hours, but no luck in finding him. It was pitch black and they had big search lights on. The police were on board as soon as we docked.
 

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