Australian man who fell overboard from a cruise ship is identified: Family speak out after search to find him is suspended: ‘Kind and beautiful soul’
The family of an Australian man who went overboard from a cruise ship earlier this week have issued a heartbreaking tribute, hours after the search was suspended.
Brisbane man Warwick Tollemache, 35, has been named as the man who fell from Quantum of the Seas ship, some 1400 kilometres south of the Hawaiian islands late Tuesday night local time.
The search resumed the next day for the missing man as the Royal Caribbean-operated ship, which left Brisbane 16 days ago, headed towards its final destination, Honolulu.
Mr Tollemache’s shattered family have paid tribute after the US Coast Guard suspended the search on Friday morning Australian time.
‘Our family is heartbroken at the loss of our beloved Warwick,’ his family said in a statement.
‘He was a kind, beautiful, and gentle soul who was adored by everyone who knew him. He will be deeply missed.’
The US Coast Guard spent a day scouring the ocean and from the air before suspending the search.
Large overnight swells have hampered searches, making the search ‘almost impossible’.
Discussions with Mr Tollemache’s family the Australian consulate, and relevant case information helped inform the decision.
‘The coast guard has made the difficult decision to suspend the active search for the passenger aboard the Quantum of the Seas,’ search and rescue mission coordinator Kevin Cooper said in a statement.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is preparing to assist the man’s family.
‘The Australian Consulate-General in Honolulu is working closely with local authorities,’ a spokesperson said.
‘We acknowledge the ongoing distress for the man’s family and loved ones.’
A Coast Guard C-130 Hercules aircrew completed five searches over the course of six hours while on scene.
More to come
