Coast Guard suspends search for 77-year-old woman who went overboard on Holland America Line cruise ship

Coast Guard

Coast Guard suspends search for 77-year-old woman who went overboard on Holland America Line cruise ship

Coast Guard says search for woman who vanished from Nieuw Statendam ship covered nearly 700 square miles

Greg Norman Fox News

Published

January 2, 2026 9:58am EST

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The U.S. Coast Guard said it suspended a search for a 77-year-old woman who went overboard on a Holland America Line cruise ship near Cuba on New Year’s Day.

The passenger, who has not been publicly identified, vanished approximately 40 miles northeast of the Sabana-Camagüey archipelago, according to the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast.

"The USCG suspended its searches for a missing 77-year-old woman who went overboard the cruise ship, Nieuw Statendam, Thurs., pending the development of new information," the agency wrote on X.

"Cruise ship personnel and USCG crews searched for approx. 8 hours over 690 square miles," it added.

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Nieuw Statendam cruise ship sails in waters near Portugal

The Holland America Line cruise ship Nieuw Statendam is seen leaving the cruise terminal on June 3, 2022, in Lisbon, Portugal. The ship was near Cuba on New Year's Day when a 77-year-old passenger went overboard. (Horacio Villalobos/Corbis via Getty Images)

The Coast Guard said its cutter William Trump and MH-60 helicopter crews from Air Station Clearwater participated in the search.

"We are deeply saddened to confirm that while sailing in waters north of Cuba, a guest on Nieuw Statendam went overboard earlier today. The  captain and crew initiated search and rescue procedures and worked closely with the U.S. Coast Guard, which deployed a cutter and helicopter to assist," the Holland America Line told Fox News Digital in a statement.

"After a daylong search, efforts were suspended at sundown. Our family assistance team is supporting the guest’s family, and our thoughts are with the guest’s loved ones during this difficult time," it added. "As a result of the search, the ship’s planned call to Key West, Florida, January 2 was canceled."

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Holland America Line's Nieuw Statendam cruise ship is seen from the stern

The Nieuw Statendam can hold around 2,700 passengers. (Horacio Villalobos/Corbis via Getty Images)

The Nieuw Statendam has a capacity of around 2,700 guests.

It departed Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Dec. 27, before making stops in the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and the Dominican Republic, according to the website CruiseMapper.

Nieuw Statendam cruise ship sales near Scotland's coast

The Holland America Line cruise ship Nieuw Statendam is seen traveling near South Queensferry, Scotland, on May 29, 2025. (Ken Jack/Getty Images)

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The Nieuw Statendam was heading to Key West at the time of the woman’s disappearance.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

Coast Guard suspends search for 77-year-old woman who went overboard on Holland America Line cruise ship