Cruise line calls passenger’s plunge into icy North Sea waters “unfortunate”

A cruise ship passenger dropped into the frigid waters of the North Sea during a medical evacuation.

The accident took place Mar. 29 when the woman was being transferred onto a Norwegian rescue vessel from the Ocean Countess, operated by Cruise & Maritime Voyages. She was suffering from internal bleeding.

"The passenger unfortunately fell into the water," a company spokesman said.

Colin Prescott, a fellow passenger, told his local Great Britain paper that the two vessels were not tied together during the operation. When they suddenly pulled several feet apart, the rescue crews dropped her stretcher into the ocean.

"The sea was about minus three degrees that day," Prescott said.

"She was in the water for about eight minutes or so," he added.

The Ocean Countess was 20 miles off the Norwegian port of Bodo. The search and rescue vessel eventually pulled her out of the water and she was transferred to a hospital. Her condition was listed as stable.

Source: blogs.mirror.co.uk