PORT EVERGLADES, FLA. (WSVN) - Authorities in St. Maarten intensified their search for a U.S. citizen, more than a week after she vanished after leaving a cruise ship that sailed from Port Everglades.
Police said 55-year-old Ann Evans was a guest aboard Holland America’s MS Rotterdam, which left Port Everglades on Nov. 16 and docked in Port St. Maarten on Nov. 20.
Evans disembarked around 10 a.m. for an organized island tour and stepped off the tour bus in Marigot, on the French side of the island, but never returned to the bus or the ship.
The Rotterdam returned to Port Everglades on Friday morning.
7News cameras captured passengers disembarking from the ship. Some who spoke with 7News were unaware about Evans’ disppearance.
“Oh, my God, that’s shocking, shocking,” said passenger Sarah O’Brien. “You hear these stories, but I didn’t think it would be this cruise ship. We had no idea anything was going on.”
“We were supposed to leave the Port of St. Maarten [at] like 5:30, and we didn’t leave, and we waited and waited and waited,” said passenger Renee Shepler. “We did hear we were waiting for one passenger, and finally — probably two and a half, three hours later — we finally left.”
The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) said Evans was reported missing after she failed to return to the vessel.
Officers on both the Dutch and French sides of the island have launched a joint search.
Investigators said they have reason to believe a woman matching Evans’ description checked into a hotel on the French side of the island using her passport and may have been seen nearby.
KPSM has asked the French Gendarmerie to help verify that information.
As of Friday afternoon, police have yet to make contact with Evans. They urge anyone who may have seen her to contact them.
Ceuise passengers, meanwhile, remain in shock.
“We never heard an announcement like that, and non of the crew ever mentioned it,” said passenger Cindy O’Donnell. “This is shocking; I’m very surprised.”
Evans’ disappearance comes at a time when safety on cruise ships is in the spotlight. In an unrelated case, 7News continues to follow the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, a high school senior from Titusville, Florida, who was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon after it left PortMiami.
Authorities have ruled Kepner’s death a homicide. Her 16-year-old stepbrother is considered a suspect.
In a statement issued Friday, a spokesperson with Holland America wrote, “We notified local authorities [about Evans’ disappearance] immediately and we are working closely with them to confirm the guest’s whereabouts.”
KPSM said Evans is encouraged to contact her family or authorities if she sees the alert.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.