ABC News in Australia reports that a woman has gone overboard from the P&O Pacific Dawn today. The cruise ship left Brisbane, Australia last weekend on a cruise of the Pacific Islands.
The P&O ship is now conducting a search for the missing guest.
P&O released a statement today stating that a crew member observed the unidentified woman going overboard from the ship around 4 P.M. today (April 12, 2018). The incident reportedly occurred when 
the Pacific Dawn was approximately 300 kilometers west of New Caledonia.
The crew member apparently notified the bridge and the ship turned to conduct a search. Other vessels in the vicinity assisted in the search.
A spokesperson for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said that the ship faced three-to-four-meter swells and high winds (55 kph winds).
According to cruise expert Professor Ross Klein, at least 308 people have gone overboard from cruise ships since 2000.
According to the Herald Sun, a passenger on the cruise ship posted a photograph of a life ring in the water about an hour after the ship began its search, stating that the passenger had not yet been located although it was getting dark at the time.
“Horrendous here on ship. Man over board an hour ago. Ship going round and round searching.” pic.twitter.com/jpC0NGRomU — Jonathan Trevithick (@JonTrevithick) April 12, 2018
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April 12, 2018 P.M.Update: New details emerge regarding the passenger reported overboard from the Pacific Dawn earlier this morning – From news.com.au: “A cruise ship passenger who was lost at sea had gone onto the deck because she felt sick and was knocked overboard by a freak wave.”