JUNEAU, Alaska - A Washington woman who went overboard from the cruise ship Zaandam appears to have committed suicide, Holland America said Tuesday.

The Arlington woman's family told KING 5 they were saddened by her loss, but they don't believe it was suicide.

Alaska state troopers spent the day interviewing passengers and crew members of the Zaandam, and looked at video surveillance tapes taken aboard the ship.

"Based on evidence and information to date, it does not appear to be foul play," spokeswoman Sally Andrews said from Seattle. "From what we have seen to date, it appears to be a suicide. Of course, the final determination will be made by the investigating authorities with whom we are cooperating fully."

But Amber Malkuch's ex-brother-in-law told KING 5 News that would surprise him.

"It's inconsistent with the Amber I know," said Scott Malkuch. "It doesn't sound like something she'd do. She had too much joy in her life."

Scott Malkuch said he last saw Amber, 45, at a graduation party in June.

Amber Malkuch's body was found Monday afternoon after a massive search stretching over 80 miles.

"They have confirmed that is the woman we're looking for due to finding her ID on her person," Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios said.

Alaska State Troopers were to begin an investigation Tuesday when the cruise ship docked in Sitka. A spokeswoman said the agency was not ready to determine it was a suicide.

"We still have to do our investigation, and we're not going to make any guesses at this time," troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said. "It is too premature to label it anything but a death investigation." Suicide is "certainly a possibility, but we need to investigate and we need to make sure."

Among those who will be questioned will be Malkuch's traveling companion and anyone else who could help explain how she disappeared off the vessel.

Malkuch was reported missing by a traveling companion Monday morning when the Zaandam was in Glacier Bay National Park, about 75 miles northwest of Juneau. She was last seen hours earlier after she ordered room service, when the vessel was near Alaska's Douglas Island.

The crew of a commercial helicopter operated by Ketchikan-based TEMSCO Helicopters that was helping in the search found the body at about 4:30 p.m. Monday on the west side of Douglas Island, about 12 miles northwest of where the passenger was last seen, Chief Petty Officer Dana Warr said.

The body was taken to Juneau, and troopers said an autopsy would be standard procedure.

Warr said there was no immediate sign that any of the Zaandam's survival gear was missing. Footage from the ship's security cameras will likely be reviewed, the Coast Guard said.

The 780-foot-long Zaandam can carry about 1,430 passengers and 600 crew members.

It's all too familiar for Michael Pham of Sammamish. He is vice president of the Web site Internationalcruisevictims.org.

In May 2005, Pham's parents were on board a Carnival cruise to the Caribbean when they vanished.

His organization went before Congress to push for new legislation that would protect passengers aboard cruise ships and make information on crimes more readily available.

"Right now it's self-policing. They do whatever they want," he said.

A cruise ship safety bill sits before both houses of Congress and could be voted on before the end of the year.

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