Search Ends After Passenger Falls From Cruise Ship

A retired woman is feared dead after falling overboard from a cruise ship off the coast of Cuba, according to the United States Coast Guard.

The passenger was traveling on Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam, which had departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when the incident took place.

Search teams covered approximately 690 square miles over the course of around eight hours before the operation was called off, according to reports.

Holland America Line said: “The captain and crew initiated search and rescue procedures and are searching the area working closely with the US Coast Guard which has deployed a cutter and helicopter to assist.”

The ship left Fort Lauderdale on December 27, 2025, for a seven day Caribbean cruise. Following the incident on Thursday, the vessel canceled its scheduled call at Key West, Florida, as search and rescue efforts intensified.

Late on Thursday, the United States Coast Guard confirmed that the search had been suspended “pending the development of new information”.

The Nieuw Statendam measures 975 feet in length and 115 feet in width, with capacity for approximately 2,700 passengers. Holland America Line operates a variety of itineraries, including week long cruises in the Caribbean.

While overboard incidents on large ocean cruise ships are uncommon, they have occurred in the past. In November last year, a British passenger disappeared after falling from a vessel near Tenerife. The 76 year old went overboard from the TUI operated Marella Explorer-2. In a separate incident in New Zealand, a 74 year old passenger fell from the Disney Wonder during a voyage to Auckland. He was not recovered and was later presumed dead.