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Cruise Ship Passenger Lost Overboard At Glacier Bay National Park

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By Kurt Repanshek - July 15th, 2018
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve/Kurt Repanshek

A 69-year-old cruise ship passenger has been lost overboard at Glacier Bay National Park/Kurt Repanshek file

Editor's note: An update to this story can be found at this page: Man Overboard For 9 Hours Before Being Reported Missing At Glacier Bay National Park

A 69-year-old passenger of a Holland America cruise ship has been lost overboard at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska.

In a brief news release, the park said Saturday night that it had suspended its search for the man, who was reported missing from Westerdam on Friday. The individual was reported missing at 3:50 p.m. when he did not appear for a medical appointment on board, a park release said.

The Park Service was notified 7:30 Friday evening after a ship-wide search confirmed that the passenger was absent. 

Searches for the unidentified passenger were conducted both from Park Service boats and from the air, supported by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The release did not say where along the 65-mile Glacier Bay the man was reported missing, and park staff could not immediately be reached Sunday morning.

Holland America Westerdam/NPS HO

This file photo of the Holland America Westerdam was released by the National Park Service.



 

Comments

Submitted by Ombud on July 16, 2018 - 3:57am.

Missed 3:30 medical appointment, ship searched and not located, USCG notified 7:30. (1) why the appointment ? (2) suicide? Hard to unintentionally fall over (3) exactly where  would you have 2 life boats search that couldn't be done easier / faster than normal search procedures?


Submitted by Phyliss Kerfeld on July 16, 2018 - 4:49am.

I agree! It seems that there's one reported every week or so. And I'm suspecting that there are many we DON'T hear about... SAD...


Submitted by Cheryl B on July 16, 2018 - 5:13am.

No. You can have a catamaran that comes up tonthe ship take you for an excursion up closer to the glacier. Most stay in but there are some smaller excursions available.


Submitted by Anonymous on July 16, 2018 - 5:33am.

Perhaps he got confused and then boarded the wrong ship


Submitted by Tina44444 on July 16, 2018 - 6:44am.

I agree why are there so many people falling off cruise ships it's crazy 


Submitted by Rachael on July 16, 2018 - 7:10am.

The most infuriating thing is when people automatically assume suicide or intoxication. There are other things that can happen! We were on board with a lady in January that went overboard and everyone said she was drunk. Turns out her husband threw her over. Being at Glacier Bay National Park he literally could have leaned over too far.


Submitted by V4veronica on July 16, 2018 - 7:11am.

I pray that you are right and God watch over him and his family.


Submitted by augie on July 16, 2018 - 7:28am.

If he survived the fall, he didn't last long in the icy water, maybe a couple minutes...stop blaming the crew


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