The victim, 77 years old, was aboard the Nieuw Statendam cruise ship, owned by the Holland America shipping company.
MIAMI, United States. – The United States Coast Guard (USCG) suspended this Thursday the search for a 77-year-old woman who fell into the sea from the Nieuw Statendam cruise ship of the Holland America Line shipping company while the vessel was sailing about 64 kilometers northeast of Sabana, near the easternmost tip of the island of Cuba.
In its final update, the USCG Indian that it stopped operations “pending new information emerges” and that cruise ship personnel and Coast Guard teams searched an area of about 1,787 km² for “approximately eight hours.”
In a statement quoted by US mediaHolland America Line confirmed the incident. “We are deeply saddened to confirm that, while sailing in waters north of Cuba, a guest on the Nieuw Statendam fell overboard earlier today,” the company stated. “The captain and crew initiated search and rescue procedures and worked closely with the US Coast Guard, which deployed a Coast Guard cutter and helicopter to assist,” he added.
The shipping company maintained that, “after 15 hours,” the search was suspended “at dusk,” without offering details about the woman’s identity or how the fall into the sea occurred.
As a result, the cruise itinerary was altered. The planned scale in Key WestFlorida, for January 2 was canceled due to search efforts, according to the company itself. Holland America Line further stated: “Our family assistance team is supporting the guest’s family, and our thoughts are with their loved ones at this difficult time.”
According to shipping company informationthe Nieuw Statendam had set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on December 27 for a seven-day cruise, scheduled to return on January 3.
The Nieuw Statendam is a ship 297 meters long and 35 meters wide, according to the specifications published by the company.
