77-year-old woman goes overboard on Holland American cruise ship sparking huge search and rescue mission: USGC

A search was carried out for a 77-year-old woman who went overboard on a cruise ship in the Caribbean Sea on New Year’s Day.

The ship Nieuw Statendam, which is operated by the Holland America Line, was about 40 miles northeast of Sabana, Cuba, when the woman fell into the sea, the U.S. Coast Guard announced on Thursday.

A search was initiated by the crew of the vessel William Trump and an MH-60 helicopter crew from Air Station Clearwater.

“The captain and crew initiated search and rescue procedures and are searching the area working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard which has deployed a cutter and helicopter to assist,” Holland America Line said in a statement, according to ABC News.

In an update at about 5:30 p.m. E.T., the Coast Guard announced that it had suspended the search “pending the development of new information,” adding that the search lasted about eight hours and spanned more than 690 square miles.

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The cruise ship left Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on December 27 for what was supposed to be a weeklong Caribbean tour. But, because of the incident, the ship’s planned travel to Key West, Florida, was called off.

"We are deeply saddened to confirm that while sailing in waters north of Cuba, a guest on Nieuw Statendam went overboard earlier today," Holland American Line said in a statement. "Our family assistance team is supporting the guest's family, and our thoughts are with the guest's loved ones during this difficult time."

The identity of the woman who went overboard has not been made public. It’s not clear what caused her to fall into the water.

Measuring nearly 1,000 feet from bow to stern, Nieuw Statendam is a Pinnacle Class ship that can carry 2,692 guests, according to Holland America Line, which is a subsidiary of the Carnival Corporation.

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Overboard incidents on cruise ships are rare, though most instances are fatal, according to The New York Times. In 2019, 25 people fell overboard on cruise ships, 17 of whom died, according to a report from the Cruise Lines International Association.

In 2023, at least 10 people fell off cruise ships, only two of whom survived, according to Business Insider.

Spokespeople for the Coast Guard and Holland America Line did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Independent.