The desperate search to find a female passenger who fell from a P&O cruise ship has been called off.
A crew member saw the woman fall overboard from the top-most deck of the Pacific Dawn about 150 nautical miles from New Caledonia on Thursday. She was reportedly on the cruise with her family, ABC News notes.
P&O said they have now called off the search for the missing woman after looking throughout the night and through the morning.
“The difficult decision to suspend the search was made only after expert advice that survival after this length of time in difficult sea conditions and after a full night at sea was not considered possible,” Carnival Australia spokesman David Jones said, SBS reports.
“The search, which began immediately after a crew member reported a guest had been seen to go over the side of the ship, was suspended in consultation with maritime rescue authorities.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the guest’s family at this distressing time.”
According to authorities, the woman could not have survived past 5pm in the rough water, wind and darkness.
The cruise is now back on course and will arrive in Brisbane tomorrow. Police will commence an investigation into the passenger’s death.
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