Mystery over American woman missing from cruise excursion deepens after her passport is used to check in to hotel

Authorities investigating the disappearance of an American woman who failed to return from an excursion during a Caribbean cruise say someone using her passport checked into a local hotel.

Ann Evans, 55, was reported missing after she didn’t return to the Holland America Line cruise ship docked in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, on November 20, according to a missing person alert.

After she disembarked the ship, Evans took a bus to Marigot, French Saint Martin, but “did not return to the bus or to the cruise ship,” the Police Force of Sint Maarten said in an update Thursday.

The police force said it had “carried out extensive checks and followed multiple lines of information in accordance with legal guidelines.”

“Based on information gathered during the investigation, KPSM has reason to believe that a female matching Ms. Evans’ description checked into a hotel on the French side of the island using her passport.”

“She has also reportedly been seen in the surrounding area of that establishment,” the police force added.

The KPSM noted that they were working to confirm the information with their law enforcement counterparts on the French side of the island.

The cruise ship departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on November 16 and visited several Caribbean destinations, including St. Lucia and Barbados. It was expected to return to Florida on November 28.

Police have encouraged Evans to contact her family if she sees the missing person reports in order to quickly confirm her safety.

“A guest on Holland America Line’s Rotterdam did not return to the ship on November 20 following a visit to Philipsburg, Sint Maarten. We notified local authorities immediately and we are working closely with them to confirm the guest’s whereabouts,” the cruise line said in a statement to The Independent.

“As of Thursday, police reported on their social media page that a woman matching the guest’s description and using her passport checked into a hotel on the French side of the island and we are waiting further confirmation from authorities.”