A CREWMAN who fell overboard from a Southampton cruise ship is feared drowned.

A search has failed to find the crewman who fell from the Queen Mary 2.

The staff member fell from the ship as it was sailing around the coast of Newfoundland, Canada in the early hours of yesterday morning.

A search was immediately launched for the crew man and passengers were informed that the vessel would be turning around to retrace its route in a bid to find him.

However, after five hours the search was called off, a spokesperson for the cruise company Cunard has said.

She added: "Having discussed this with experts ashore there is no possibility that the crew member could have survived this long in the water and we therefore have to presume that he died in the water.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, which has been informed, as well as friends and his colleagues on board."

The ship left Southampton on Tuesday bound for Halifax where it is due to arrive tomorrow.