Australia’s cruise industry has been struck with another tragedy, as a man has died after falling overboard while travelling on the Spirit of Tasmania.
The ferry, which regularly carried passengers from mainland Australia to the small southern state, was forced to turn around on Sunday evening after an alarm sounded, signalling a passenger was missing.
The vessel was on its way to Tasmania following its departure from its Geelong dock when the incident occurred.
According to reports from the Herald Sun, multiple search crews, including air wing and water units, were deployed to search the water between Portarlington and St Leonards beaches off the Bellarine Peninsula just after 8pm.
Not an hour later, the body of a man was recovered from the water, with the coroner now preparing their report.
“The man’s death is not being treated as suspicious,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for the Spirit of Tasmania confirmed the vessel returned to Geelong by 10.50pm, but was unable to comment further until the coroner’s report is released.
The tragedy comes just days after another Australian man fell overboard while on a Royal Caribbean ship bound for Hawaii.
The Brisbane man, identified as 35-year-old Warwick Tollemache, was travelling with his mother on the Quantum of the Seas when he fell into the water last Wednesday night, 1400km south of the island’s coast.
Search and rescue efforts were called off on Friday, leaving the man’s family devastated.
Warwick’s family shared a statement on social media, saying, “Our family is heartbroken at the loss of our beloved Warwick.”
“He was a kind, beautiful, and gentle soul who was adored by everyone who knew him. He will be deeply missed.”
Image credits: Getty Images
This article first appeared on Over60.