British cruise ship passenger dies after being dropped into North Sea

British cruise ship passenger dies after being dropped into North Sea

Janet Richardson, 73, who was being carried off the ship on a stretcher, dies after falling into sub-zero ocean


* David Batty and agencies
* guardian.co.uk, Saturday 23 April 2011 16.34 BST


A British tourist who fell into the North Sea in sub-zero conditions as she was being carried on a stretcher off a cruise ship has died.

Janet Richardson, 73, from near Penrith, Cumbria, was taken ill on the Ocean Countess and fell into the sea while being stretchered onto a rescue vessel. She spent eight minutes in the water before being rescued and taken to hospital in Norway.

The grandmother died on Thursday evening at Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle.

Richardson had begun to suffer internal bleeding on the voyage from Hull to Norway on a trip to see the Northern Lights with her husband George, 78.

The captain of the Ocean Countess, operated by UK company Cruise and Maritime Voyages, had called for a rescue boat to take her to hospital.

However, while the rescue teams were moving her on a stretcher to a rescue boat, she fell into the sea – which was about -3C at the time. The incident is under investigation by the cruise company and the Norwegian rescue authorities.

She was eventually transported to hospital in Bodø, Norway, accompanied by her husband, who remained by her bedside for several days before she was airlifted to Cumberland infirmary.

In a statement, North Cumbria University Hospitals said: "It is with regret that Mrs Janet Richardson passed away on Thursday evening, 21 April. Respecting the family's wishes, we have no further comment at this time."

What are the Northern Lights? What do they signify for people?
Why did the couple make the trip? Special occasion - wedding anniversary, second honeymoon, recovering from illness
Description of the boat
Why would you be bleeding internally?