A 73-year-old man is presumed dead after going overboard from the Disney Wonder cruise ship in the early hours of Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, while traveling through the Tasman Sea between New Zealand and Australia. The incident occurred around 4:30 a.m. as the ship made its way from Melbourne to Auckland on what was planned as a five-day journey.
Victoria Police confirmed the death in a statement, noting that the man jumped from the cruise liner into the waters. Authorities have not released the identity of the passenger, though they confirmed he was from the Melbourne suburb of Moonee Ponds. Police stated the death is not being treated as suspicious and are handling the matter as a self-harm incident.
Once the ship’s crew realized the passenger was missing, the Disney Wonder immediately turned around to conduct an extensive search and rescue operation. The search effort lasted approximately five hours and included the use of thermal imaging cameras to scan the waters. Despite the exhaustive efforts, no body was found during the operation.
Passengers aboard the vessel first noticed the ship had changed course around noon on Saturday, several hours after the initial incident. The captain subsequently made an announcement to inform those aboard about the situation. Mitch Talbot, a passenger who did not know the victim, described the atmosphere following the announcement.
“The captain came on and updated the boat and basically stated that there was someone, a passenger had fallen overboard, but that they were unable to find them,” Talbot told 7NEWS.
The mood aboard the ship shifted dramatically following the incident. Talbot described the remainder of the voyage as somber and eerie, noting that many staff members appeared affected by the situation and took time to process what had occurred. The Disney Wonder continued its journey to New Zealand after concluding the search operation, though the ship is now expected to arrive one day later than its originally scheduled arrival date of Tuesday, Nov. 25.
The Disney Wonder is an 11-deck vessel with a capacity for 1,750 passengers. The Tasman Sea, where the incident took place, is known as one of the most turbulent bodies of water in the world, situated between Australia’s southeast coast and New Zealand. The challenging conditions of these waters likely complicated the search and rescue efforts.
Victoria Police confirmed on Sunday, Nov. 23, that the man’s body had not been recovered. The investigation remains ongoing, though authorities have ruled out any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. The nature of the incident and the police’s determination that it was self-harm have cast a pall over what was intended to be a family-friendly cruise experience.
The Disney Wonder had departed Melbourne on Thursday, Nov. 20, for the five-day, one-way journey to Auckland. This voyage represents one of the final Disney Cruise Line trips in the Australian region. The company previously announced it would be bidding farewell to Australia with its 2025-26 season, with the last Disney cruise departing from Sydney on Jan. 30, 2026, bound for Honolulu.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges cruise lines face regarding passenger safety at sea. While modern cruise ships are equipped with various safety features and protocols, accidents and incidents still occur. The immediate response from the Disney Wonder’s crew, including turning the ship around and conducting an extended search operation, demonstrates the standard procedures cruise lines follow when a passenger goes overboard.
Cruise ship safety has become an increasingly discussed topic in recent years as the industry has grown significantly. Modern vessels carry thousands of passengers and crew members, requiring extensive safety protocols and emergency response procedures. The use of thermal imaging technology during the search operation represents one of the advanced tools available to cruise lines when responding to overboard incidents.
For the passengers and crew aboard the Disney Wonder, the incident served as a stark reminder of the potential dangers at sea. The extended search operation and delay in arrival also meant significant disruption to travel plans, though such concerns pale in comparison to the loss of life. The Disney Cruise Line has not released a public statement regarding the incident beyond confirming that Victoria Police are handling the matter.
As the ship continues toward its destination in Auckland, passengers and crew members must process the events that unfolded during what was meant to be a leisurely voyage. The investigation by Victoria Police will continue, though authorities have already determined that no suspicious circumstances surrounded the man’s death. The incident marks a somber end to Disney’s presence in Australian waters, as the cruise line prepares to conclude its operations in the region following the upcoming January departure.
