P&O Cruises Australia has confirmed that it is on the search for a missing passenger who was reported missing from the cruise ship, the Pacific Jewel.

In a Facebook post, the cruise company said the female passenger was reported missing by a family member last night.

Since, onboard staff have conducted a ship-wide search for the passenger while New Caledonian authorities have been called to carry out an air search.

“Onboard staff are assisting family members and everything possible is being done to respect their privacy,” P&O Cruises Australia said in a Facebook post.