Search for Missing Holland America Passenger Called Off

zoom The United States Coast Guard has suspended the active search for a missing passenger of Holland Americas Statendam cruise ship, who was reported to be unaccounted for after the vessel arrived in Seattle on Monday morning. Sector Puget Sound watchstanders received a call around 10:55 a.m. from a Holland America vessel agent reporting a passenger aboard the Statendam, a Netherland-flagged passenger ship, was missing. The missing 65-year-old man, a U.S. citizen, was confirmed aboard the ship by vessel staff when it departed Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, at 11 p.m., Sunday. Coast Guard crews were launched to initially search the vessels route, but were diverted after Holland America personnel reported a review of shipboard security footage. The search resumed northwest of Protection Island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca but was suspended at 6:10 p.m., Monday. “We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to those affected, however, despite our best efforts we have been unable to locate the missing passenger,” said Eric Cookson, a command duty officer at Sector Puget Sound.  An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Port Angeles, two 87-foot patrol boat crews, the Coast Guard Cutter Blueshark homeported in Everett and the Coast Guard Cutter Wahoo homeported in Port Angeles, and two 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crews, one from Station Port Angeles and one from Station Seattle, searched over 230 miles and for more than six hours.