The search for a British woman thought to have fallen overboard from a cruise liner into the Atlantic ocean has been called off.

The Queen Mary 2, along with the US Coast Guard, had been searching for the 74-year-old woman, who was reported missing in the early hours of Friday, when the ship was about 100 nautical miles (115 miles) south of Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The liner, which left New York on Thursday, had been retracing its course in an effort to find her, but has now turned back after the search proved fruitless.

“It is with sadness we can confirm that after a comprehensive search, working with all relevant authorities, Queen Mary 2 has halted the search for a missing guest, presumed overboard,” a Cunard spokeswoman said on Friday night. “Cunard’s Care team is offering every support to the family. The ship is now back on course to reach St Maarten on 26 December as scheduled.”

The US Coast Guard sent a C-130 fixed-wing plane and an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter out to scour the sea for the woman, whose identity has not been released.

Petty Officer David Micallef said she was reported missing between 1am and 3am US time on Friday (8pm to 10pm Thursday GMT) and rescuers searched for her from first light.



The Queen Mary 2, based in the port of Southampton, was built in 2003 at a cost of £700m and launched the following year.

