The man missing from a cruise ship since Sunday night intentionally jumped from the ship.
In a statement on Monday morning, Norwegian Jewel confirmed the 62-year-old Australian man "deliberately jumped overboard".
"Unfortunately, the guest has not been found. Our thoughts and prayers are with the individual's family during this difficult time," said a spokesperson.
Rescue Coordination Centre told Newshub the helicopter searching for the man has returned to base and doesn't intent to head back out.
A Napier Coastguard boat is still searching for the missing man, but poor weather is hindering visibility.
Winds of 32km/h mean the swell is increasing.
"One of the issues that the choppy seas create is it's much harder to see a person in the water - also create an issue with the swell for the boats that are searching, [threatening the] safety of the crew in the boats," said Rescue Coordination Centre spokesperson Vince Chloewa earlier on Monday.
The Norwegian Jewel departed Mahia Peninsula shortly after 8am on Monday and headed for Auckland.
