The weeklong cruise through the eastern Caribbean was set to return to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Saturday, Jan. 3. <\/p>\n
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla \u2014 The United States Coast Guard<\/a> called off searching for a 77-year-old woman who reportedly went overboard on a cruise ship after searching for roughly eight hours Thursday.\u00a0<\/p>\n The U.S. Coast Guard Southeast<\/a> said they searched roughly 690 square miles for the woman who was on the Nieuw Statendam cruise ship approximately 40 miles Sabana, Cuba on New Year’s Day. Their search is suspended\u00a0<\/a>“pending the development of new information.”\u00a0<\/p>\n “We are deeply saddened to confirm that while sailing in waters north of Cuba, a guest on Nieuw Statendam went\u202foverboard earlier today,” Holland American Line said in a statement to ABC News<\/a>. “Our family assistance team is supporting the guest’s family, and our thoughts are with the guest’s loved ones during this difficult time.”\u00a0<\/p>\n The ship started its weeklong journey through the eastern Caribbean in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025 and was set to return Saturday, Jan. 3, according to the Orlando Sentinel<\/a>.<\/p>\n The ship\u2019s planned trip to Key West Friday was canceled due to the search.\u00a0<\/p>\n