An air search was underway Tuesday for an 84-year-old passenger who went overboard overnight from a cruise ship east of Sydney.

The man went overboard at 9 p.m. local time (10:00 GMT) on Monday off the Sun Princess 280 kilometers (175 miles) east of Sydney, search manager Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokesman Mal Larsen said Tuesday.

The cruise ship, which is operated by Princess Cruises, had remained in the area rather than continue to Sydney where it was due on Tuesday, Larsen said. An airplane was conducting a search, he said.

Princess Cruises said the passenger was not reported missing until early Tuesday.

"A thorough search of Sun Princess was conducted but the passenger could not be located," Princess Cruises said in a statement.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority was contacted and Sun Princess turned around and retraced its path off the coast of New South Wales state, the cruise company said.

Larsen said that security cameras confirmed the time that the passenger went overboard.

The Sun Princess had been due to reach Sydney Tuesday morning to end a 13-day cruise to New Zealand.

The cruise company said the ship would continue with the search until released by search authorities. The Sun Princess's next cruise would be impacted and the company was alerting to the schedule change.

Searchers held grave fears for the passenger's welfare because of heavy swells at 2 to 3 meters (7 to 10 feet) and winds blowing at 29 mph (46 kph), Larsen said.

Larsen did not know the circumstances in which the man went overboard. Larsen did not know his nationality.

The Sun Princess offers cruises along the Australian coast and South Pacific. (***)

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