Woman Dropped into Sea after Botched Medical Evacuation, Dies

A 72-year-old woman, who was dropped into the icy waters of the Norwegian Sea during a medical evacuation accident off a cruise liner, has died. 

The woman, Janet Richards had been enjoying a two-week Scandinavian Cruise, when she suddenly took ill.  According to reports, she suffered from internal bleeding as the cruise ship headed back home.  She suffered from dizziness and low blood pressure, and the decision was made to evacuate her to a hospital on land.  Arrangements were made to take her to a hospital on shore. 

However, as the woman was being transferred from the cruise liner to a rescue boat, things went horribly wrong.  She had been lowered about 25 feet to the rescue boat, when the boat suddenly moved, and the stretcher carrying her plunged into the icy cold waters of the Norwegian Sea.  One passenger who was watching the evacuation has confirmed that the rescue boat was not tied to the vessel, and moved just as the woman’s stretcher was being handed over to the crew on the board.  At the time, the water was just barely above freezing level.

She stayed in the water for approximately four minutes, while the rescue boat was steered away to avoid crushing her between the vessels.  She was finally retrieved from the water and given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.  She was rushed to a hospital in Norway, and then to a hospital in England.  This week, doctors announced that she had died. 

The Norwegian Coast Guard is currently engaged in an internal investigation of the accident.  A report is expected over the next couple of weeks. 

Richards was a great-grandmother.   It’s hard to imagine a worse death for a person in her golden years than the one that occurred here, and our heartfelt condolences go out to her family.

The maritime attorneys at Schechter McElwee Shaffer and Harris represent injured victims of offshore, oil rig and maritime accidents across Texas and around the country.