PORT ANGELES — The Coast Guard has suspended the search for a Holland America cruise ship passenger missing in the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Protection Island.
The cruise line said the 64-year-old man, a U.S. citizen traveling alone on a 14-day round trip between Seattle and Alaska, was aboard the ms Statendam when it sailed Sunday night after a port visit in Victoria, but did not check off the ship as it docked in Seattle on Monday morning.
Using footage from the ship’s video cameras, Holland America officials narrowed the man’s disappearance to about 12:40 a.m. Monday morning, which led to the Coast Guard to search northwest of Protection Island, said Petty Officer Katelyn Shearer, spokeswoman for the Coast Guard in Seattle.
The missing man was not identified, and neither the Coast Guard nor Holland America would say what the video showed.
The Coast Guard searched more than 230 square miles for more than six hours before suspending the search at 6:10 p.m. Monday.
The search included an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles, along with two small boats and the Coast Guard cutter Wahoo, also from the Port Angeles station.
Also responding were three small boats from the Coast Guard station in Seattle, and Coast Guard cutter Blue Shark from Coast Guard station in Everett, Shearer said.
The Statendam left Victoria at about 11 p.m. Sunday, headed south to the Port Angeles pilot station off Ediz Hook, then headed east past Port Townsend toward Seattle.
It arrived in Seattle, completing its Alaska cruise, at about 5 a.m. Monday.
A search for the man began after he did not disembark from the ship with other passengers and was not found aboard the ship.
The Coast Guard was notified at 10:55 a.m.
“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.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
