Coast Guard suspends search for missing cruise ship passenger near Seattle

SEATTLE (AP) — The Coast Guard announced Monday night it had suspended its search in the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca near Seattle for a passenger missing from a Holland America cruise ship.

“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.

The cruise line said the 64-year-old man was aboard the ship Statendam when it sailed from Victoria, British Columbia, Sunday night, but he didn't check off the ship after it docked in Seattle on Monday.

Petty Officer Katelyn Shearer says Holland America reviewed surveillance video and determined the man's location was last known off the northeast corner of the Olympic Peninsula. Neither the Coast Guard nor Holland America would immediately say what the video showed.

The Coast Guard said it had two cutters, two smaller boats and a helicopter searching for the man. He's described as a U.S. citizen who had been traveling alone.

The Statendam was on a 14-day roundtrip cruise from Seattle to Alaska.