Medical Evac last night on the Grand

[cruisequeen4ever]

**Disclaimer- This is just based on what I saw and heard. Only the people involved know exactly what happened.**

Yesterday as we were approaching College Fjord around 4:15 PM or so, "Man Overboard" was called. Crew immediately threw a life preserver over and raced to try to help. The ship made a wide turn, and about 10 fishing boats changed course to help. Many of us scanned the water with binocs, and the crew began to prep a lifeboat. A few minutes later, "Medical Response Team" was called to C414. About 5 minutes after that, the captain announced that a passenger had fallen off a balcony onto the balcony below and was being treated. We continued on our way. Normally the ship docks in Whittier just after midnight, but I noticed we were in Whittier by 10:30 PM. An air rescue helicopter landed in the cruise terminal parking lot, and a regular ambulance awaited our arrival. The passenger was taken off the ship about 30 minutes later by stretcher and flown away, presumably to Anchorage. He appeared to be a young adult and was kept flat and immobile. I heard the medical team say they wanted to stabilize him before transit. None of us know exactly what happened, but some were told by crew that it was a 30 year old man who was drunk, sitting on his balcony railing, taking a selfie, and fell over. His wife reportedly ran down to Caribe and knocked on people's doors asking if her husband had fallen onto their balcony. Thankfully the couple was in the room when the man landed, and help was summoned right away. Princess is very clear in instructing people to never climb up on the railings or sit on them. I pray this man survives! I can't imagine how worried his wife was and is and how haunting it was for the couple to have a man crash onto their balcony. Kudos to Princess for an outstanding response to the crisis and in communicating with passengers!

[5waldos]

Ah- selfies. but terribly sad. What I don't quite understand is why they would have called man overboard if the first Princess knew of the accident was that he was lying on the balcony of another cabin.

 

Very strange.

[cb at sea]

Happens all the time...too bad, but too true.

[ar1950]

Pretty sad situation for the wife and the victim. I would speculate that the victim was actually "lucky" to land on the balcony below. With the water temperatures in the fjords being what they are I would suspect that he would have succumbed to hypothermia long before anyone could have pulled him out of the water. Hope the young man makes a full recovery.

Edited June 14, 2015 by ar1950

[OCruisers]

Maybe they didn't know for sure he landed on the deck below.

 

Hopefully, he'll be all right.

[Kenswing]

Darwin would be proud..

[Putterdude]

Very sad and upsetting but it does happen. A few years ago we had a lady deliberately leap from the Sapphire just as we entered Canadian waters southbound, unfortunately her plight was not discovered until we arrived in Vancouver the next day.

[Colo Cruiser]

Alcohol, go figure. :rolleyes:

[RickEk]

Maybe they didn't know for sure he landed on the deck below.

 

Hopefully, he'll be all right.

 

Yes, I'm sure they turned back just in case someone actually hit the water.

[chipmaster]

Hopefully the chap will be okay. It's a wonder to me that you give people all you can eat and drink on a moving ship and worse things don't happen. I guess lucky most of us are too old and sowed our oats decades ago :o

[Working 2 Cruise]

Darwin would be proud..

 

Very funny!

[AE_Collector]

Ah- selfies. but terribly sad. What I don't quite understand is why they would have called man overboard if the first Princess knew of the accident was that he was lying on the balcony of another cabin.

 

Very strange.

 

Doesn't really seem all that strange. I would assume that many people would have seen something happen given the ships location when large numbers would be out on decks. Many would not be in a position to see where he landed and I bet there were multiple reports of man overboard and "a person fell off balcony" called in. A man overboard response would be the logical default response until something else is confirned.

 

Terry.

[sfaaa]

Alcohol, go figure. :rolleyes:

 

Interior or OV room only for this guy from now on.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Interior or OV room only for this guy from now on.

 

My guess is that he will end up on a "no sail" list.

[paul929207]

My guess is that he will end up on a "no sail" list.

He certainly belongs there

[john watson]

My guess is that he will end up on a "no sail" list.

 

This is very true, whereas antipodeans are always on the "no sale" list it seems.

 

Regards John

Edited June 14, 2015 by john watson

[LEtue]

Was thinking the same....thank goodness for the tiered balcony design on the ship.

 

I'm guessing the one of the cameras pickup him up when he fell off the railing so they probably didn't know he had landed on a balcony below. Can't imagine what a surprise that was for the passengers in that cabin!

[Lostincruisin]

Alcohol, go figure. :rolleyes:

 

And a selfie..... He might have asked his wife to take the photo. Poor fool.

[Pam in CA]

FYI, an NCL ship had someone jump off the ship after an argument with her boyfriend yesterday. Rescued and alive.

 

Here's another cruise decision fail: http://blog.shipmateapp.com/cruise-fail-of-the-year/

[Colo Cruiser]

It takes all kinds. :rolleyes:

[srpilo]

Darwin would be proud..

 

:):D:) Best laugh of the weekend .. Thanks !!

 

 

Srpilo

[tanzer22pilot]

And a selfie..... He might have asked his wife to take the photo. Poor fool.

 

Hopefully, she was able to updated his Facebook status from "on a cruise" to "in the hospital".

[elliair]

Princess is very clear in instructing people to never climb up on the railings or sit on them.

 

People do not listen to any safety announcements. I witnessed a parent putting their child on a railing (even though holding the child), and stand there gazing at the water. I cringe every time I see stupid people doing stupid things.

[baronessk]

The wife had to knock on the door? If someone landed on my balcony, and I was in my cabin, I think I would be checking to see what the loud "thump" outside was!

[cruisequeen4ever]

About the railings, many of us were standing at the railing thinking how difficult cruise lines make it to go overboard (that's a good thing, of course!). It's not as if the railing is low!! I'm tall, and I would have to hoist myself up. People can be so foolish; it's sad.