US Coast Guard suspends search for Australian who fell overboard cruise ship in Hawaiian waters

An aerial search for the man reported missing from the cruise ship travelling near Hawaiian Islands has been called off for the day.

An urgent appeal has been made to ships in the Pacific Ocean to assist in the desperate search for an Australian man who fell off a Hawaii-bound cruise ship as the aerial search is halted.

The man was holidaying on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship “Quantum of the Seas” before the nightmare unfolded overnight 1400 kilometres south of Hawaii.

The ship departed from a Brisbane port on April 12 and was sailing through the Pacific Ocean near the island of Honolulu when the man was reported missing,two days prior to its arrival in Hawaii.

“The ship‘s crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation and is working closely with local authorities,” Quantum of the Seas said in a statement on Thursday.

A man is overboard on a cruise ship off the coast of Hawaii. Picture: Supplied

The cruise ship stayed in the area for a couple of hours before handing over the search to an aerial search team.

While the US Coast Guard has been combing the area, it has now also issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast, alerting all vessels south of Hawaii to help look for the man.

The Coast Guard also called the US Navy for aid after it was forced to turn back its C-130 Hercules to Hawaii to refuel, halting its six-hour search.

Cruise passenger Georgina Thompson described the harrowing moment she realised something had gone wrong.

“We were in bed and we heard it come over the PA system someone singing out “Oscar, Oscar, Oscar” and then that's when everything started to happen,” she told the Today show.

The cruise ship was 1400km south of Honolulu when the man went missing. Picture: Istock

She said her husband got out of bed and went out to the deck where he saw massive lights shining onto the ocean and multiple small boats.

“We didn’t know at that time what was going on,” she said.

Passengers reported a sombre mood at breakfast after the news broke overnight. Picture: Istock

“It lit up the whole ocean.”

Ms Thompson said the mood on-board the cruise ship was “sombre” on Thursday morning, as passengers discussed the shocking news over breakfast.

The cruise ship has now set sail for the Hawaiian Islands where they are due to arrive on Friday.

Authorities have reportedly confirmed to 9 News that the aircraft will continue its search for the man at dawn.

The identity of the man is not yet known, nor how he fell overboard.

DFAT has been contacted for comment.