Was Holland America passenger's death really a suicide?

[mercedes]

Did Holland America Line jump the gun in declaring that a passenger that went overboard two weeks ago had committed suicide?

That is what Alaska State Troopers are asking, according to Seattle television station, KOMO News.

Washington state resident Amber Malkuch, 45, was reported missing on Aug. 3 during a seven-day Zaandam sailing from Seattle. Her body was found in the water 45 miles south of Juneau the next day.

Holland America said the following day that the overboard was most likely a suicide.

"So far there is no indication that there was foul play," said Holland America spokeswoman Sally Andrews. "It appears to have been a suicide. But the final determination will be made by the investigating authorities with whom we are cooperating fully."

The line would not say what indications pointed to a suicide.

Yesterday, Alaska state troopers told the Seattle TV station that they didn’t know how Holland America realized so quickly that the death was a suicide when they have not come to that conclusion after two weeks of investigation.

According to the report, the investigators are still looking at several key pieces of evidence, such as photographs, interviews and toxicology reports.

"We're the people actually looking into the exact cause of death," Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said in the report. "We're the ones doing the interviews and looking at the evidence. And if we haven't been able to make a determination, how can the cruise ship line who isn't trained?"

[DebbieandJerry]

We never hear about the reality of it all. The honeymooners from RCL a few years back, the elderly couple earlier this year, can anyone recall the outcome of those deaths?! We are so starved for gossipy type news it doesn't matter if it's 100% factual. Good for the State of Alaska for raising these questions.