Miami — The U.S. Coast Guard has called off its search for a 77-year-old woman who drowned on a cruise ship near Cuba on New Year’s Day.
The Coast Guard said crews searched for eight hours over an area of 690 square miles (1,787 square kilometers) for the woman, whose name has not been released. She was aboard the Holland America Line cruise ship Nieuw Statendam when it sank Thursday, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northeast of Sabana, Cuba. Details were not immediately available about how the woman drowned in the sea.
The Coast Guard said it had deployed helicopters and a large ship to assist in the search.
“Our family assistance team is supporting the guest’s family, and our thoughts are with the guest’s loved ones during this difficult time,” Holland America Line said in a statement.
The ship left Fort Lauderdale, Florida, last Saturday on a seven-day cruise in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The cruise line said the ship was scheduled to dock Friday in Key West, Florida, but the stop was canceled due to the search.