Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Passenger Overboard from Holland America's Zaandam

A 45-year-old woman went overboard from Holland America's Zaandam while it was cruising in Alaska on Monday.

The last contact the ship had with her was when she ordered room service about midnight. The woman's traveling companion reported her missing about 10am (local time) Monday morning, meaning she would have gone overboard between Douglas Island and Glacier Bay National Park.

The Coast Guard search was concentrated on Stephens Passage, Lynn Canal and Icy Strait, and the National Park Service was searching the shoreline in Glacier Bay National Park. The Coast Guard utilized a helicopter, two patrol boats and two rescue boats.

The Coast Guard estimated the water temperature to be approximately 57 degrees.

About 4:30pm (local time) on Monday, a body believed to be the woman was discovered on the west side of Douglas Island. The local coroner is working to identify the remains.

Zaandam is on a 7-day cruise to Alaska from Seattle which departed last Friday (July 31).

Details will be in today's edition of Cruise News Daily.