Authorities recovered the body of a man who went overboard from a P&O cruise ship on Monday morning. He reportedly went missing ten nautical miles from Sydney Heads, around 11 miles from the nearest shore.
The P&O-owned cruise ship, Pacific Adventure, was about to end a 3-day Elvis-themed cruise when it alerted Australian authorities about a man overboard incident at around 4 in the morning.
Instead of heading to the Sydney port as planned, the vessel stayed in the area and participated in search and rescue efforts. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre headed the operation. A rescue helicopter and nearby vessels searched the waters while infrared technology was used to detect heat signatures from the water.
According to police, rough conditions complicated their operations. Rescue teams faced swells up to 5 meters high and winds traveling up to 60 kilometers an hour.
| Six-and-a-half hours later, they recovered the man’s lifeless body. “About 10:30 a.m., officers attached to Police Marine Area Command located the body of a man, and it was retrieved,” a police spokesperson announced. |
On board the Pacific Adventure, passengers were given a brief update over the PA system. The 2001-built ship carried around 2,600 guests who had signed up for a 3-day Tribute to the King cruise in honor of the late Elvis Presley. It left Australia on May 3 and sailed to Moreton Island, Queensland.
After a voyage filled with themed parties, trivia games, and karaoke, it was supposed to return to its Sydney home port on May 6 at 6 a.m.
| A representative spoke on behalf of the cruise line, “We thank guests for their care, understanding, and patience on what’s been a distressing day for guests and crew. Our thoughts are with the family of the guest at this difficult time.” |
After the vessel’s late arrival in Sydney, Pacific Adventure’s next itinerary was delayed by a few hours from Monday afternoon to Monday evening.
In April 2023, another ship that sailed from Australia faced a man overboard incident. Despite a comprehensive search, the passenger was never found.
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