Guests aboard the Carnival Splendor cruise liner were sent a cold, emotionless letter in the wake of a double tragedy that unfolded at sea – with one crucial detail glaringly absent.

The notice, titled ‘Important information’ and issued by staff on Carnival’s flagship Australian vessel over the weekend, warned passengers the ship ‘is currently involved in a search and rescue operation and will be delayed arriving into Sydney‘.

‘We are currently working on revised timing and will be back in touch later this afternoon with further details,’ the letter read.

Passengers were also told not to make their way to the departure terminal: ‘Please do not proceed to the cruise terminal until you have received our final update on new embarkation times.’

But the key detail missing from the letter, sent by VP Guest Services Colleen Olivero, was the reason for the operation: that crews were desperately searching for the body of an elderly man who had allegedly gone overboard the previous day.

Passengers were left in the dark that a man in his 70s had fallen from the 14-deck ‘Fun Ship’ on Friday night near Moreton Island.

The carefully worded note made no mention of the suspected suicide, which was just hours after another passenger drowned during a snorkelling excursion the day prior.

Emergency crews scoured the waters after the man reportedly plunged into the ocean about 30km northeast of Moreton Island, near Brisbane, on Friday night.

+6
View gallery

Carnival Splendor arrived at Sydney Harbour around 6:00pm on Sunday – serval hours after its supposed arrival time

+6
View gallery

Guests aboard Carnival Splendor were advised their arrival to Sydney would be delayed

The search, coordinated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority with assistance from Queensland Police, involved five rescue helicopters, six surface vessels and Challenger jets.

After an intensive day-long operation, AMSA confirmed the search was suspended at 5.30pm on Saturday.

‘Following an intensive air and sea search involving multiple assets, the missing person was not located and AMSA has now released all assets from tasking,’ a spokesperson said.

The cruise line assisted authorities during the operation, with a spokesperson saying the man is understood to have ‘climbed over the safety railing and jumped overboard’.

‘The male guest was travelling with family who alerted the ship’s crew of a possible missing person, and a review of the CCTV footage confirmed the guest’s action,’ a Carnival Cruise Line spokeswoman said.

‘All appropriate authorities have been alerted and Carnival will assist authorities in their investigation upon the ship’s return to Sydney.

‘Carnival’s Care Team is supporting the guest’s family and our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved one.’

The Cruise arrived at Sydney Harbour around 6:00pm on Sunday – several hours after it was supposed to arrive.

+6
View gallery

a cruise ship owned by Carnival Cruise Lines, reported a male passenger had fallen around 30km north-east of Moreton Island

+6
View gallery

The search, coordinated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority with assistance from Queensland Police

+6
View gallery

The Carnival Splendor was dispatched to Sydney as the cruise lines flagship Australian vessel in 2018

+6
View gallery

The 290 metre-long ship that can carry 3,000 guests recently underwent an extensive refurbishment

The rescue operation came just hours after a 67-year-old Tasmanian woman from the same ship drowned during a stopover near the shipwrecks at Moreton Island.

The woman had been snorkelling when she ran into trouble and, despite efforts by an off-duty lifesaver who pulled her to shore, she died at the scene.

A report is now being prepared for the coroner.

The two incidents are not believed to be linked.

The Daily Mail has contacted Carnival Splendor for comment.