Body Found in Search Area for Missing Passenger

A body has been found in the search area for the cruise line passenger who went missing aboard Holland America’s Zaandam cruise ship on Monday. The body was taken to Juneau for positive identification. The individual who went missing, 45-year-old Amber Malkuch of Washington State, is believed to have fallen overboard somewhere between Douglas Island and Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. The woman ordered room service at midnight, when the vessel was near Douglas Island, but was reported missing by a friend at 10 a.m. the next morning when the vessel was at Glacier Bay National Park. The United States Coast Guard was immediately called and dispatched to the area; however the search to find the woman was not immediately successful. The water temperature where the woman would have fallen overboard was 57 degrees at the time of the search. The Coast Guard will continue its search for the woman until a positive identification has been made. The police will review footage from the ship’s security cameras to better understand what occurred. Chief Petty Officer Dana Warr said there were no immediate signs of foul play.
The maritime lawyers at Beard Stacey Trueb & Jacobsen, PLLC represent injured mariners throughout the nation in claims involving the Jones Act and General Maritime Law. For any questions regarding maritime law or injuries sustained while working aboard a vessel, contact us at 206.282.3100 or visit our website at www.atsealawyer.com.