Key Features:
- The seek for a visitor overboard from Nieuw Statendam on January 1, 2026 has been suspended.
- Updates affirm the visitor is a 77-year-old girl and the overboard was seemingly deliberate.
- Nieuw Statendam has resumed crusing however cancelled her January 2 port go to to Key West because of the delay.
The US Coast Guard (USCG) has suspended the search efforts for the visitor overboard from Nieuw Statendam late within the day on Thursday, January 1, 2025.
The final update from US Coast Guard Southeast Sector famous the extent of the search efforts, however has suspended the operation “pending the event of latest info.”
“Cruise ship personnel and USCG crews searched for about 8 hours over 690 sq. miles,” the put up on X confirmed.
Cutter William Trump and an MH-60 helicopter from Air Station Clearwater have been the USCG property concerned within the search all through the day, roughly 40 miles northeast of Sabana, Cuba.
Nieuw Statendam additionally remained with the search almost all day, repeating a zig-zag search sample alongside its route within the area the place the overboard was confirmed.
The emergency search began after repeated early morning requires the lacking girl to report back to Visitor Providers, adopted by an announcement that she was not onboard.
“We’re deeply saddened to verify that whereas crusing in waters north of Cuba, a visitor on Nieuw Statendam went overboard earlier immediately,” Holland America Line mentioned in a press release to Cruise Hive. “A overview of closed-circuit cameras reveals the visitor alone on the ship’s third deck showing to go overboard deliberately.”
The USCG’s last replace does make clear that the visitor is a 77-year-old girl, however no additional particulars about her title or nationality have been launched to guard her privateness and people of her touring companions. Holland America Line’s household help group is providing assist to these impacted.
Nieuw Statendam Resumes Crusing
As darkness fell (sundown within the space was at roughly 5:30 p.m.), the cruise ship was launched from the all-day search and returned to her route again to Port Everglades. The ship was to have made one last port cease in Key West, Florida on Friday, January 2, however that decision has been cancelled.
As an alternative, Nieuw Statendam will spend the final day of the 7-night Jap Caribbean crusing at sea and can return to Fort Lauderdale as scheduled on Saturday, January 3.
The Pinnacle-class ship can welcome 2,666 friends at double occupancy or as much as 4,173 friends when absolutely booked with all berths stuffed. For vacation sailings reminiscent of the present New Yr’s cruise, most ships are a lot nearer to full occupancy as a substitute of double occupancy.
Nieuw Statendam is homeported from Fort Lauderdale by way of early April, at which era she’s going to transfer to Europe for a summer season providing excellent British Isles, Arctic Circle, and Baltic Capitals sailings with embarkation at each Dover and Rotterdam.
In December, the ship will return to the Sunshine State for an additional Caribbean winter season from Port Everglades.
Overboard Procedures
Every cruise line makes use of comparable procedures when a visitor could also be reported lacking and probably overboard. A radical search or headcount of friends could also be made to find out if the person remains to be onboard, whereas safety footage is reviewed to see if they are often discovered and tracked.
Learn Additionally: What Happens If You Jump Off a Cruise Ship?
Many ships do have man overboard detection methods, which may embody movement sensors, cameras, alarms, and different tech property to note these incidents and lift alarms extra shortly.
The momentum of a 100,000 (or extra) gross ton ship, nevertheless, can carry it miles previous an overboard level earlier than the vessel may safely be slowed, turned, and return to the purpose at which a person went overboard.
In that point, waves and currents might transfer that individual away from the place they entered the water, making it very troublesome to find the person.
Regardless of many hours of looking out, many incidents, like this primary overboard of 2026, might by no means find the individual.
Cruise Hive’s ideas are with the household and pals of the aged girl at this troublesome time, and we’re all grateful for the emergency crews who undertake the search efforts to assist carry closure to those unhappy incidents.
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