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OAP goes missing from cruise ship OAP goes missing from cruise ship
(about 3 hours later)
A search is under way for a Scottish pensioner who has disappeared from a cruise ship going from Spain to the US. The search for a Scottish pensioner who has vanished from a cruise ship is focusing on the vessel.
James Ewan, 73, of Burntisland, Fife, was travelling alone. James Ewan, 73, of Burntisland, Fife, was reported missing on Wednesday after stewards on the Celebrity Century, found he had not used his cabin.
Celebrity Cruises said Mr Ewan was reported missing from The Celebrity Century on Wednesday after it was discovered he had not used his cabin. The ship was going from Spain to the US and had recently docked at Madeira.
A company spokeswoman said the ship had retraced its path to look for the pensioner but after several hours the coastguard took over the search. A spokesman for the ship's operator said they were reviewing CCTV tapes and talking to passengers who might have been in contact with Mr Ewan.
The ship left Madeira on Wednesday but logs indicated Mr Ewan had not disembarked there. Susan Hooper, a spokeswoman for the ship's owner, Royal Caribbean Cruises, said the ship had retraced its path to look for the pensioner but after several hours the coastguard took over the search.
When security records showed he had not gone off the ship the captain was told Lynn MartensteinCelebrity Cruises She said the sea search had now been called off.
Sea search
The ship left Madeira on Wednesday, but logs indicated Mr Ewan had not disembarked there.
The liner was on a 14-night transatlantic cruise from Barcelona, Spain, to Miami, which began on Friday 27 October. It is now continuing on its route.The liner was on a 14-night transatlantic cruise from Barcelona, Spain, to Miami, which began on Friday 27 October. It is now continuing on its route.
Spokeswoman Lynn Martenstein said the company was reviewing surveillance tapes and talking to people who might have seen the pensioner. It was instructed and recommended by Portuguese maritime police to retrace the course of the ship's path of the previous day Susan HooperRoyal Caribbean Cruises
Celebrity, which is owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises, said it had notified the British Embassy authorities, Portuguese maritime police, Bahamian maritime authorities, and the FBI. Ms Hooper told BBC Radio Scotland: "The ship's stewards went into his room on 1 November, noticed it hadn't been used and reported that there were possible issues at the end of that day.
A crew member raised the alarm two hours after the ship left port in Madeira, after observing that Mr Ewan's cabin did not appear to have been occupied that day. "We have an identity card system on the ship which would show whether he's actually disembarked or not and they were in port at Madeira in Portugal on 1 November and it showed that he had not actually left the ship.
"When security records showed he had not gone off the ship the captain was told," Ms Martenstein said. "It was instructed and recommended by Portuguese maritime police to retrace the course of the ship's path of the previous day and to make public announcements to make sure he wasn't in a place that we weren't able to know, then it continued on its course to Miami."
Public announcements The British Embassy authorities, Portuguese maritime police, Bahamian maritime authorities, and the FBI were notified, as is procedure in such cases.
She said public announcements were made asking Mr Ewan to identify himself to crew but when there was no response a detailed search of the liner's public areas and cabins began. Maritime police in Gibraltar and Spain have also been alerted. Authorities in the Bahamas had to be told because the ship flies the Bahamian flag.
"We are trying to determine if anyone saw him," Ms Martenstein said. A man identified by Mr Ewan as his next of kin has been informed of his disappearance.
"Did he buy anything in the gift shop, or talk to anyone at dinner?
"We're trying to put all of those bits of information together to find out where he might be or what might have happened."
Maritime police in Gibraltar and Spain have also been alerted.