Search called off for ‘kind, gentle soul’ following cruise ship tragedy

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A Brisbane man who went overboard during a Royal Caribbean cruise to Hawaii is being remembered as a “gentle soul” after the search to find him was officially called off on Friday.

Warwick Tollemache, 35, has been identified as the man who went missing on the Quantum of the Seas in the early hours of Wednesday night (AEST).

On Friday morning, a statement from the US Coast Guard said it would be calling off the search after consultation with the family.

“After reviewing all relevant information of the case and discussing it with the next of kin, the Coast Guard has made the difficult decision to suspend the active search for the passenger aboard the Quantum of the Seas,” said Kevin Cooper, a search and rescue mission co-ordinator for the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Honolulu.

After Tollemache was reported overboard about 11pm local time, the ship remained in the area for two hours before continuing on course for Hawaii. The next morning, aircrew flew above the area and completed five searches over six hours but were unable to locate him.

The US Coast Guard has since called off the search for the missing man.Credit: Facebook

Family and friends took to social media to announce the news.

“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,” Mandy Tollemache said in a statement from the family. “He will be deeply missed.”

In a statement, Tollemache’s family said he will be “deeply missed”.Credit: Facebook

Friend Terence Dicks described it as the worst news ever.

“I will miss you dearly my friend, my brother,” he wrote.

“My heart is aching so much knowing that I won’t get to see you again or give you a hug.”

Tollemache’s social media pages state he lives in Brisbane and was originally from South Africa.

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