A Filipino crew member working onboard Holland America Line cruise ship ms Amsterdam was reported missing. The 35-year-old man was last seen on Thursday at around 6 p.m. while the ship was sailing Sitka Sound, Alaska. His disappearance was reported at 7:45 p.m. by the crew after he did not show up for a work shift. The crew made extensive searches onboard the vessel of all public areas and facilities but they couldn’t find the missing man.

Ship’s captain turned around toward its last known position and crew launched search and rescue operation, but the crew man was not recovered. Officers reported the man overboard to the Coast Guard crew, responding by deploying of a MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka. 

At the time wind in the area was measured at 43 mph, with waves up to eight feet and limited visibility due to heavy fog. MS Amsterdam remained in the area until released from search efforts after which the cruise ship, continued its voyage toward Victoria, British Columbia.

Unfortunately after searching the area south of Sitka and off of Baranof Island, and covering 163 square mile area the Coast Guard couldn’t locate the missing crew member and the search was suspended on Friday afternoon. The crew member identity was not released. Our prayers for the crew member, his family, and loved ones.

Amsterdam was on a seven-day Alaska cruise that departed Seattle on July 29, when this tragic event took place. The cruise ship canceled the scheduled arrival in Ketchikan on Friday.