Magician Ben Murphy was in the middle of a performance with a female volunteer from the crowd when a member of the audience raced on stage and crash tackled him.

The incident occurred during a Quantum of the Seas Royal Caribbean cruise on March 1.

Murphy posted footage on Instagram with the warning: “Entertainment, comedy and magic are NOT contact sports”.

“This guest should not have been allowed to enjoy the rest of his cruise.”

According to Murphy, a statement wasn’t taken until a week after the incident and he was bafflingly told there “were no witnesses”.

Social media users reacted swiftly to the footage.

One man wrote that he was in the audience and his “jaw nearly hit the floor”.

“Feel sorry for not only you but the poor wife and kids who saw the whole thing,” he wrote.

Another witness described the incident as “absolutely nuts”.

“We assumed he would have been locked in his cabin for the rest of the cruise and I am fuming if he wasn’t,” they wrote.

Another advised him to take action if Royal Caribbean doesn’t: “I would look into the negligence of them for not having the duty of care for their staff/ contractors on the cruise. It’s just not on.”

Murphy is one of Australia’s most acclaimed magicians, known for his stunning grand illusion and audience interaction.

Royal Caribbean has been contacted for comment.

carla.mascarenhas@news.com.au