Search for German pop star missing from cruise ship called off

Kaiser-Kueblboeck, 33, was traveling on the AIDAluna cruise ship en route to Newfoundland when he jumped overboard early Sunday morning, according to Aida Cruises.

A Canadian Coast Guard spokesperson said Monday that the search was ended because of the "short survival time" in water temperatures at this time of year, CNN affiliate NTV reported.

The ship was around 125 miles north of St. John's, a city on Newfoundland island off Canada's Atlantic coast, when Kaiser-Kueblboeck disappeared, Aida Cruises said Tuesday.

An extensive air and marine search was launched by the Coast Guard. The search was called off Monday and the incident has been transferred to the Newfoundland police as a missing persons case, the JTFA said.

"Rescue workers had been deployed in the Labrador Sea around the clock," Aida Cruises said in a statement. "The search was unfortunately without success."

The company added that it was "deeply concerned about the tragic incident" and is cooperating fully with the authorities in the investigation.

Kaiser-Kueblboeck rose to fame in 2002 as a contestant in the first season of the reality TV show "Germany Seeks The Superstar."

He later released several singles and appeared on reality shows "Big Brother" in 2005 and "Let's Dance" in 2015.

In a post on his official website Monday, his family expressed hope "for a miracle" and called on the media to respect their privacy and refrain from speculation about the incident.

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