A Coast Guard Jayhawk rescue helicopter was used to search for the woman who fell off a cruise ship May 17, 2022 (USCG Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Wes Shinn)
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended a search Tuesday afternoon for a 40-year-old woman who reportedly fell off a cruise ship early Tuesday morning about 20 miles south of Haines.
Petty Officer Ally Blackburn says the decision to suspend the search was based on several factors including the air and water temperature and the amount of time that had passed.
“We searched air and surface searches for over nine hours and covered 68 square nautical miles. And we just didn’t yield any results or locate any individuals in that area. So our decision to suspend the search was made.”
Blackburn says the Coast Guard estimates the woman could have survived only about six hours in the 40-degree waters of Upper Lynn Canal.
Blackburn says the captain of the ship reported the incident after a cruise ship camera showed the woman going overboard at approximately 3 a.m. Tuesday near Eldred Rock as the ship sailed from Juneau to Skagway.
The Coast Guard responded with a search by air and by sea — a helicopter from Sitka, a response boat from Juneau and the crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Chandeleur based in Valdez.
“We never enjoy ending a search for somebody that’s listening. And we want to offer our condolences to the family and friends of that individual.”
The missing woman has not been publicly identified. The Coast Guard says the incident is under investigation.
The Celebrity Solstice is operated by Celebrity Cruises, can carry up to 3,400 passengers and 1,000 crew. It was on the fourth day of a week-long round-trip cruise from Seattle.
