Norwegian Cruise Line says 62-year-old passenger 'deliberately jumped' from ship near New Zealand
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A 62-year-old Australian passenger who went overboard from the Norwegian Jewel “jumped” willingly, Norwegian Cruise Line said in a statement.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday morning near Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand, was captured by closed-circuit surveillance cameras and observed by witnesses, the cruise line said.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“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,” a spokesperson for the cruise line confirmed to Fox News.
“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.”
Norwegian Cruise Line said surveillance footage shows the man "deliberately jumped overboard" from the Norwegian Jewel, seen here in 2012. (Deab Pictures; Francis Dean/Corbis via Getty Images)
Local search-and-rescue efforts were postponed just after noon on Monday, according to Maritime New Zealand, a state agency overseeing the coordination of rescue efforts among other maritime issues.
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The agency, however, said a search may resume “if additional information becomes available.”
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Norwegian Jewel is currently on a round-trip sailing of New Zealand out of Sydney, Australia. The cruise, which departed on Dec. 22, is due to return to Sydney on Jan. 3.