A 77-year-old woman went overboard from a Holland America Line cruise ship near Cuba and disappeared.
"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. Cruise ship personnel and #USCG crews searched for approx. 8 hours over 690 square miles," the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast wrote.
The passenger has not been named. It's also not clear yet whether she fell or otherwise went overboard.
On January 1, the Coast Guard wrote, "@USCG crews are searching for a 77-year-old woman who went overboard the cruise ship Nieuw Statendam approx. 40 miles NE of Sabana, Cuba, Thursday. #USCG Cutter William Trump & Air Station Clearwater MH-60 crews are conducting searches.
According to CBS News, the ship left Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday and was on a seven-day journey through the eastern Caribbean." The cruise ship was supposed to dock in Key West.
"The captain and crew initiated search and rescue procedures and are searching the area working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard," the cruise line said in a statement to CBS News. "Our family assistance team is supporting the guest's family, and our thoughts are with the guest's loved ones during this difficult time."
According to The Palm Beach Post, it's possible to survive going overboard on a cruise ship. Two kids survived when their parents jumped in to rescue them on other cruises, the newspaper reported.
Cruise ships have safety barriers to make such tragedies less likely. All cruise ships have "safety barriers that are regulated by U.S. Coast Guard standards and prevent a guest from falling off," Carnival spokesperson Matt Lupoli told The Post.
"I'll stress that people don't just fall over the side," said Brian Salerno, senior vice president of global maritime policy at Cruise Lines International Association, added to The Post. "There are railings and they're pretty high. It's almost always the result of an intentional act."
