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Australia cruise passengers fall overboard Search called off for Australia cruise passengers
(about 17 hours later)
A search is continuing off the south-eastern coast of Australia for a man and a woman who appear to have fallen from a cruise ship on Wednesday night. Rescue teams have called off a search for two people who apparently fell from a cruise ship off the south-eastern coast of Australia on Wednesday night.
A surveillance camera on the Carnival Spirit showed the pair plunging from the mid deck, about 120km (75 miles) off the coastal city of Forster. A surveillance camera showed a man and a woman plunging from the mid deck of the Carnival Spirit about 120km (75 miles) off the coastal town of Forster.
They were only discovered missing after the vessel docked in Sydney, some 300km south of Forster, on Thursday morning. They were only discovered missing after the vessel docked in Sydney, some 300km further south, on Thursday morning.
It is unclear whether the two jumped or fell by accident.It is unclear whether the two jumped or fell by accident.
The authorities say an aeroplane, a helicopter and boats are searching a 1,000 sq km (386 sq miles) area of the sea. Search teams covered 4,670 sq km of ocean without finding any sign of the pair, police said in a statement.
The pair are believed to have been in the water since 20:50 local time on Wednesday (11:50 GMT). The operation was called off in failing light on Friday.
They have been named as paramedic Paul Rossington, 30, and Kristen Schroder, 27, according the Australian broadcaster ABC. The couple have been named by local media as paramedic Paul Rossington, 30, and Kristen Schroder, 27, from Barraba in New South Wales.
The couple are said to be from Barraba in north-west New South Wales. Ms Schroder's family issued a statement requesting "privacy and understanding while we come to terms with our beautiful girl's tragic accident".
"This is a tragic event at the moment, but we're holding out hope we might be able to find these people alive," New South Wales police officer Mark Hutchings said. Nearly 2,700 passengers were aboard the ship, which is operated by Carnival Cruise Lines, on a South Pacific cruise at the time.
However, he added: "Obviously when you think about the circumstances of going over the side of a cruise ship I have serious concerns about the welfare of both those people." The company said the railing the couple fell over was higher than stipulated by industry safety regulations.
Spokesman Peter Taylor said: "Our thoughts are clearly with their families at this difficult time."
The vessel's last stop before Sydney was Mare Island in New Caledonia on Monday.The vessel's last stop before Sydney was Mare Island in New Caledonia on Monday.
Nearly 2,700 passengers were aboard the ship on a South Pacific Cruise. The police have launched an investigation.
The vessel is operated by Carnival Cruise Lines.
Spokesman Peter Taylor said that two people could not be accounted for when the rest of the passengers disembarked.
"We have naturally been concerned since we became aware that two passengers were missing from Carnival Spirit and our thoughts are clearly with their families at this difficult time," Mr Taylor said, according to ABC.