(KODIAK, Alaska) – The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search Tuesday for a 31-year-old male crewmember who went overboard from a cruise ship in Gastineau Channel on Monday night.
Coast Guard crews conducted over 10 hours of air and surface searches, which covered 38 square nautical miles.
“The decision to suspend active searching is based on a number of factors including weather, sea state, water temperature and other variables,” said Ensign Maximilian Carfagno, command duty officer at Sector Juneau. “The Coast Guard’s condolences go out to the family of the missing man during this difficult time.”
Watch standers in the Coast Guard Sector Juneau command center initiated search efforts Monday at 10:45 p.m. immediately following a notification from the cruise ship Eurodam’s crew, who reported hearing shouting coming from the water. Accountability taken by the crew of the cruise ship Koningsdam revealed a crewmember was missing.
Koningsdam was getting underway in downtown Juneau when Eurodam, which was moored in close vicinity, reported the shouting. Eurodam and Koningsdam subsequently departed the port.
Coast Guard assets involved in the search were an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Sitka, and personnel from Coast Guard Station Juneau. The Juneau Police Department and Capital City Fire and Rescue also participated in the search.
The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.
– U.S. Coast Guard
