The search for an Australian man who plunged into the ocean from a cruise ship was called off, with law enforcement and rescue officials presuming him dead.
Warwick Tollemache, a 35-year-old Australian citizen, was aboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas with his mother, traveling from Brisbane to Honolulu. He fell from the ship on Tuesday, April 25, at around 11 p.m. local time, roughly 500 miles south of Kailua Kona on Hawaii’s Big Island.
After the incident, the ship’s crew initiated a search and rescue effort, staying in the area for nearly two hours. Despite their efforts, they were unable to find Tollemache. The cruise ship continued its journey as local rescue teams took over the search operation.
The US Coast Guard carried out an extensive search the following morning, performing five missions over six hours. However, on Thursday, they declared the search suspended after consulting with Tollemache’s family. Kevin Cooper, a search and rescue operation coordinator at Honolulu’s Joint Rescue Coordination Center, stated that the decision was made after evaluating all available information.
Mandy Tollemache, the victim’s mother, spoke on behalf of the family, describing him as a kind, gentle, and beautiful soul who will be deeply missed.
The circumstances leading to the passenger’s fall from the ship remain uncertain; however, one passenger reported that several passengers claimed two crew members witnessed Tollemache falling overboard.
“A woman heard a scream, stepped out onto her balcony, and saw him plummet, strike the tender below, and plunge into the water,” the passenger told Sky News.
This incident followed an earlier death of a woman on the same cruise due to a medical emergency.
This is not the first time a person has gone missing from a cruise ship. In January 2022, a 26-year-old woman disappeared from the Carnival Valor cruise ship during a trip to Mexico. Despite a comprehensive search, she was never found.
In August 2021, a 24-year-old man fell overboard from the MSC Seaview cruise ship in the Mediterranean. Although a rescue operation was launched, the man was not located.
