Search for TV star who vanished from cruise ship

A MASSIVE search is under way for a German TV star and singer who suddenly vanished while aboard a cruise ship.

SEARCH and rescue workers are still looking for German TV and pop star Daniel Kueblboeck who went missing from a cruise to Canada.

Aida Cruises says there is reason to believe that the celebrity, who first became well-known as a contestant in Germany’s version of Pop Idol in 2003, jumped into the sea on Sunday morning.

“That is our suspicion,” spokesman Hansjoerg Kunze said.

His disappearance comes months after the 33-year-old posted a haunting message on Facebook about being bullied.

German TV star and pop singer Daniel Kueblboeck is missing off the coast of Canada with fears he went overboard on a cruise ship. Picture: Daniel Karmann/dpa via AP

Writing on the page of his official fan club last month, Kueblboeck opened up about enduring “months of bullying” that shook “deeply in my soul” as a child at school, The Sun reported.

“Dear fans. Unfortunately, I still do not feel better mentally and physically,” he wrote.

“I have yet to cope with this pain of the past months.”

Kueblboeck, who tried but failed to be chosen as Germany’s Eurovision entry in 2014, was one of about 2200 passengers travelling on the cruise from Hamburg, Germany to Newfoundland, Canada.

Aida said the ship was stopped and returned to the spot off the coast of Newfoundland where Kueblboeck was believed to have entered the water.

A passenger was seen throwing himself into the sea, and the search of the boat then established that the singer was missing, the cruise line company said.

He first found fame on Germany’s version of Pop Idol, called Deutschland Sucht den Superstar. Picture: Dirk Fellinghauer/dpa via AP

The incident occurred about 185km north of the city of St John’s, Newfoundland. The water temperature was recorded at about 10.5C.

Kueblboeck’s management company could not be reached for comment.

The Canadian coastguard confirmed on Sunday that it was using a surveillance plane and helicopter to search the cold Labrador Sea.

Aida Cruises says the star may have fallen overboard. Picture: File

Two other cruise ships also helped with the search.

Kueblboeck, born in Hutthurm, Bavaria, made his last big television appearance in the eighth season of the show Let’s Dance in 2015 and was studying to be an actor at the European Theatre Institute Berlin.

His cruise ship disappearance comes months after an Australian woman died after she fell from an upper level deck of the Pacific Dawn and into the ocean about 150 nautical miles went of New Caledonia.

Police said 47-year-old Natasha Schofield’s death in April “wasn’t an accident”.

Last month, British woman Kay Longstaff, survived 10 hours floating in the Adriatic Sea off Croatia after plunging from the Norweigan Star as it sailed from Dubrovnik to Venice.

The 46-year-old later credited yoga with keeping her fit enough to survive and also said she sang to herself to keep calm in the open waters.

Ms Longstaff insists she “fell” but fellow passengers have since claimed they witnessed a drunken argument between her and boyfriend shortly before her plunge from the ship’s seventh deck.

If you are experiencing mental health issues or suicidal feelings contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or BeyondBlue on 1300 224 636. If it is an emergency please call 000.