Coast Guard suspends search for man who went missing from cruise ship in Juneau

A Coast Guard helicopter searches Gastineau Channel in Juneau on Aug. 9 for a man who went missing from the Holland America cruise ship Eurodam the night before. (Photo by Paige Sparks/KTOO)

Update — Aug. 9, 3:55 p.m.

The Coast Guard suspended its search just before noon on Tuesday for a crew member missing from a cruise ship in Juneau. 

“We searched for 38 nautical miles around the area for approximately 11 hours, and concluded that with no results, we would end the search,” said Coast Guard Petty Officer Ian Gray. 

Gray offered condolences to the crew member’s family. 

Residents reported seeing an emergency flare around 11 p.m. Monday and then boats and a helicopter searching the channel

Gray said that at 10:45 p.m. Monday, Holland America reported that a 31-year-old man had gone missing and “potentially gone overboard” from a cruise ship. 

Coast Guard Sector Juneau launched a response boat twenty minutes later. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Sitka joined the search at around 12:40 a.m.

In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Holland America said camera footage showed that a crew member “likely went overboard intentionally.”

The cruise line also clarified that the man went missing from the Koningsdam. In an earlier statement, the Coast Guard said the report came from the Eurodam, which was also in Juneau and assisted in the search.

The Coast Guard asks that anyone with information that could help in the search call the Juneau command center watchstanders at 907-463-2980.

The National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7. Call or text 988.

Correction: The Coast Guard said that a 31-year-old man had gone missing but did not say that he was a passenger. 

This post has been updated with information from Holland America and to reflect that the Coast Guard has suspended the search.

Jeremy Hsieh contributed to this story.

Yvonne Krumrey

Local News Reporter, KTOO

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