Search efforts for a missing passenger who went overboard from Holland America's Nieuw Statendam on New Year's Day have been suspended.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) confirmed on X that the search for the 77-year-old woman had been called off, noting that crews covered approximately 690 square miles over the course of about eight hours.
According to earlier posts, the Pinnacle Class cruise ship was approximately 40 miles northwest of Sabana, Cuba, at the time the incident was reported.
The USCG utilized the Cutter William Trump and an MH-60 helicopter from the Air Station Clearwater to conduct the search. A nearby Disney cruise ship also reportedly responded to the call for assistance and helped aid in search efforts, as shared by journalist Cody Alcorn. Unfortunately, the woman's body was not recovered.
Ship tracking data shows that the cruise ship remained near the Cuban coast as search efforts were underway. As a result, Nieuw Statendam's scheduled visit to Key West, Florida, on January 2 was canceled.
Instead, guests will spend the final day of their 7-night holiday cruise at sea. The ship's planned disembarkation in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Jan. 3 remains unchanged.
Other ports on the weeklong itinerary included Half Moon Cay; Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
Holland America Line confirmed the overboard incident in a statement, saying, "We are deeply saddened to confirm that while sailing in waters north of Cuba, a guest on Nieuw Statendam went overboard earlier today. A review of closed-circuit cameras shows the guest alone on the ship’s third deck appearing to go overboard intentionally."
The woman's identity and nationality have not been released.
Emergency announcements began as early as 4:30 a.m.
Passengers on the current sailing shared information about the incident on social media.
"We are currently on board. Announcement made ship wide that woke us all up by [the] captain about a missing woman to come to guest services immediately [at] about 430am," shared an anonymous participant in the Holland America line Passenger Forum Facebook group.
"Had a really bad feeling and hard to go back to sleep after that. 8am - [the] captain announced after a thorough ship search that it was determined she is no longer on the ship and they had turned around at 5am for a parallel search. Coast guard ships and helicopters [are] assisting and visible. We are zigzagging through the waters now."
"I am on the ship where the woman went missing on [the Nieuw Statendam]. Coast Guard ship and helicopter, and every boat/ship in our area are doing parallel searches," someone else wrote.
"We will miss our Key West port tomorrow. But don’t care. I just care about the poor family that is having to deal with this. They are receiving good care from [the] ship and staff. It is devastating to all of us on board. Please keep that precious family in your prayers."
At least 11 people went overboard from cruise ships in 2025
While the headlines are scary, overboard events are extremely rare compared with the millions of passengers who cruise safely each year.
Plus, more often than not, overboard incidents are caused by deliberate actions and risky behavior. For example, at least 4 of the overboard incidents in 2025 were linked to crew members and passengers jumping off the ship.
Unfortunately, survival rates for overboard incidents are very low. According to a Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) analysis from 2009 to 2019, there were 212 reported overboard cases worldwide.
Of those 212 cases, fewer than 29% were successfully rescued. The CLIA adds that most overboard incidents result from intentional or reckless acts, though it's impossible to determine a motive for every case.
About the Nieuw Statendam ship
Holland America Line's Nieuw Statendam is one of the newest ships in the fleet, entering service in 2018. She was followed by Rotterdam in 2021.
As a Pinnacle Class cruise ship, Nieuw Statendam is one of Holland America Line's largest, most modern vessels. However, she is still a modestly-sized cruise ship, measuring just 99,863 gross tons with a capacity of just over 2,600 guests.
Nieuw Statendam's current homeport is Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she'll remain through March, offering voyages to The Bahamas and Caribbean.
Read more: Holland America Ships By Age — Newest to Oldest
On April 4, 2026, Nieuw Statendam will embark on a transatlantic cruise, marking the beginning of her seasonal stint in Europe.
While abroad, the ship will offer port-intensive cruises from Dover, England, and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Itineraries include 13-night cruises to the Canary Islands and Portugal, 14-night adventures to the British Isles, and 14-night sailings to Norway with an Arctic Circle crossing.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
