Drowning on Liberty

[chermilo]

Just saw a post on Incidents at Sea that there was a drowning on Liberty of a 8 year old boy. How sad. Said that the child was pulled, apparently unconscious, from one of the cruise ship's pools by a passenger. A medical team administered CPR on the boy which was not successful.

[Redsfan]

ugh how horrible and sad

[voyager70]

Horrible news, prayers for the family.

[Ladysilver]

Very sad! We were just on the Liberty recently. Prayers for the family. :(

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

Very tragic news. Our thoughts and prayers to the family.

 

***

[LisaAtlCruiser]

Very sad and I am curious about the circumstances. I am assuming this happened at the pool so am surprised no one noticed. So I am curious what time it happened and all the circumstances.

[BillOh]

Very sad and I am curious about the circumstances. I am assuming this happened at the pool so am surprised no one noticed. So I am curious what time it happened and all the circumstances.

 

I am too, and I don't fault you for discussing it and wondering, its certainly not causing any harm. I know my first thought was kid jumps in head first, hits head, its all over before anyone can do anything. Perhaps this was late at night when the pools can be nearly empty. One of several scenarios. People will probably come back from the cruise and let us know.

[texasweather]

That is heartbreaking. :( Prayers to that poor family.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Desert Cruizers]

Bill, several including myself have expressed that we feel badly for the parents loss, are we wrong in doing so. You are correct, the couple may not even be CC members and not see the posts. Chemillo, thank you for letting us know.

[texastennis]

Oh, no! Not just before Christmas! The family must be devastated! My prayers are with this grieving family. No one should ever have to experience this.

 

Let us all share in this family's sorrow and not dwell in criticism. As a former lifeguard, drownings are traumatic, and the causes can happen quickly even with people (and yes, parents) around.

[BettyPC]

Very sad news whatever the circumstances.

[Desert Cruizers]

chengkp75, I recall a similar incident when I was little and the memory of that still is with me. I realize even more now how one can miss seeing something even when we are looking.

[susieatsea]

Just saw a post on Incidents at Sea that there was a drowning on Liberty of a 8 year old boy. How sad. Said that the child was pulled, apparently unconscious, from one of the cruise ship's pools by a passenger. A medical team administered CPR on the boy which was not successful.

 

When did this happen?

[chengkp75]

The only time I have ever relaxed (probably due to the event I described) when my kids or nieces/nephews were in the water (pool, lake, ocean) was when we owned a Newfoundland dog and the only thing that got her out of the water was when the kids were in, and she would take up a position and you could actually see her counting heads until all the kids came out of the water. She was a better lifeguard than most humans. Completely focused and no distractions.

[cb at sea]

Drowning folks RARELY appear to be in "distress"...drowning is silent and eerie....it's not like in the movies, where you're thrashing and yelling for help....you simply slip under the water...it's usually silent and quick.

[TexCruise371]

So sad regardless of the circumstances. :(

[Cruzing Mike]

Although everyone has the right to post/say what they want, it is sad to see that some people choose to post the things that they do.

 

We have become a society where everyone feels that they should put in their 2¢, even if what they say doesn't add anything to the discussion. It becomes just a bunch of "yelling" with no real discussion.

 

Discussing an issue is very different than just posting judgmental or hateful words.

 

Soooo....with that said. To try and add to the discussion...

 

I am sailing on the Liberty next Nov and I have a son, who will be 10, and daughter, who will be 14. I would like to know the circumstances with this drowning. Was there a lifeguard? How deep was the pool? Were the parents nearby?

 

On my Disney cruise that I just went on there were two life guards just for the kid's pool. That pool was maybe 2.5 - 3 feet deep. Boy...they walked around that little pool like hawks...looking at each and every kid...over and over. I was seriously impressed. I still watched my son but felt better knowing that the lifeguards were being so vigilant.

 

After doing some research I have read that Disney is the only cruise line that has lifeguards? Say what? Hopefully this tragedy will be a wake up call to the industry? Yes, parents are ultimately responsible for the their children but the cruise lines need to also provide back up. What if an adult has a medical issue? Who is watching over them?

 

Obviously, this is a risk analysis game for the cruise industry. Cruise line weighs the cost of paying full time lifeguards for all their ships versus possibly getting sued and settling out of court. Which is the cheaper option? Sad truth is it boils down to money.

[gkny]

I'm praying for the family.

[3CatsInMA]

The only time I have ever relaxed (probably due to the event I described) when my kids or nieces/nephews were in the water (pool, lake, ocean) was when we owned a Newfoundland dog and the only thing that got her out of the water was when the kids were in, and she would take up a position and you could actually see her counting heads until all the kids came out of the water. She was a better lifeguard than most humans. Completely focused and no distractions.

 

That's a great story--truly Man's Best Friend!

 

...I hope I don't get in trouble with the Internet Outrage Patrol for being too "gender-specific" there! ;)

Edited December 22, 2015 by 3CatsInMA

[Paul65]

Cruzing Mike,

 

There are pluses and minuses to having lifeguards, in terms of liability. In some cases, you can be held more liable if something happens, if you had a lifeguard on duty. "Swim at your own risk" policies actually reduce liability in many cases. That's the way most hotels handle it, as well.

 

The risk to adults is pretty low, since the pools are not very deep. Most adults could easily just stand in the water, even if they can't swim. Of course, as you point out, it's possible that an adult could have some sort of medical event while in the water.

[LisaAtlCruiser]

Cruzing Mike - I understand what you are saying but would like to discuss. Not argue - but to discuss. I think one of the problems we see today is everyone trying to put their responsibility onto someone else. RCCL does not have Life Guards. My old subdivision did not have Life Guards. My new subdivision does. If a pool does not have life guards the adult supervisor should see that which makes them all the more responsible.

 

At the end of the day someone had responsibility to watch that 8 year old. It was not up to the cruise line, nor should it be. On my cruise I just returned from two young girls (likely 10) were wondering the hall at night making all kinds of noise. I wondered where the hack are this kids supervisor? A cruise ship is NOT a safe place to allow a child to roam free.

[BeachChik]

Although everyone has the right to post/say what they want, it is sad to see that some people choose to post the things that they do.

 

We have become a society where everyone feels that they should put in their 2¢, even if what they say doesn't add anything to the discussion. It becomes just a bunch of "yelling" with no real discussion.

 

Discussing an issue is very different than just posting judgmental or hateful words.

 

Soooo....with that said. To try and add to the discussion...

 

I am sailing on the Liberty next Nov and I have a son, who will be 10, and daughter, who will be 14. I would like to know the circumstances with this drowning. Was there a lifeguard? How deep was the pool? Were the parents nearby?

 

On my Disney cruise that I just went on there were two life guards just for the kid's pool. That pool was maybe 2.5 - 3 feet deep. Boy...they walked around that little pool like hawks...looking at each and every kid...over and over. I was seriously impressed. I still watched my son but felt better knowing that the lifeguards were being so vigilant.

 

After doing some research I have read that Disney is the only cruise line that has lifeguards? Say what? Hopefully this tragedy will be a wake up call to the industry? Yes, parents are ultimately responsible for the their children but the cruise lines need to also provide back up. What if an adult has a medical issue? Who is watching over them?

 

Obviously, this is a risk analysis game for the cruise industry. Cruise line weighs the cost of paying full time lifeguards for all their ships versus possibly getting sued and settling out of court. Which is the cheaper option? Sad truth is it boils down to money.

 

This is a discussion board so yes people will give their opinion just like every other thread here. And I don't see anything that is hateful. Fact is most child drownings occur due to lack of adult supervision so it isn't a stretch to say that may be what happened here.

 

As far as lifeguards go I wouldn't be surprised if they don't have them because it makes parents lazy. Some probably don't feel they have to watch their kids if a lifeguard is present. And the cruise lines don't want assume that risk.

 

As far as who is watching, if you can't watch your kid the entire time than they shouldn't be in a pool regardless of if a lifeguard is there or not. A cruise line shouldn't need to provide "backup".

Edited December 22, 2015 by BeachChik

[reallyitsmema]

Although everyone has the right to post/say what they want, it is sad to see that some people choose to post the things that they do.

 

We have become a society where everyone feels that they should put in their 2¢, even if what they say doesn't add anything to the discussion. It becomes just a bunch of "yelling" with no real discussion.

 

Discussing an issue is very different than just posting judgmental or hateful words.

 

Soooo....with that said. To try and add to the discussion...

 

I am sailing on the Liberty next Nov and I have a son, who will be 10, and daughter, who will be 14. I would like to know the circumstances with this drowning. Was there a lifeguard? How deep was the pool? Were the parents nearby?

 

On my Disney cruise that I just went on there were two life guards just for the kid's pool. That pool was maybe 2.5 - 3 feet deep. Boy...they walked around that little pool like hawks...looking at each and every kid...over and over. I was seriously impressed. I still watched my son but felt better knowing that the lifeguards were being so vigilant.

 

After doing some research I have read that Disney is the only cruise line that has lifeguards? Say what? Hopefully this tragedy will be a wake up call to the industry? Yes, parents are ultimately responsible for the their children but the cruise lines need to also provide back up. What if an adult has a medical issue? Who is watching over them?

 

Obviously, this is a risk analysis game for the cruise industry. Cruise line weighs the cost of paying full time lifeguards for all their ships versus possibly getting sued and settling out of court. Which is the cheaper option? Sad truth is it boils down to money.

 

Disney only added lifeguards on their ships after they had a drowning incident.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Unfortunately, except in Hollywood, drowning is most often an extremely quiet and unnoticeable event. Only rarely is there a lot of splashing and thrashing, particularly in a pool. I was at the tender age of 10 when I saw my first person lying on the bottom of a pool, and tried to the limits of my lungs to get to him, and kept it up until an adult noticed my attempts and got the boy out, who survived. The pool had about 20-30 kids in it, about a dozen parents, and two lifeguards who hadn't noticed anything, myself included. It still exists in my mind's eye, and I'm now in my 60's.

 

Pretty much what I was coming here to post. What we think drowning looks like thanks to Hollywood and what it actually looks like are very different things.

 

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/family/2013/06/rescuing_drowning_children_how_to_know_when_someone_is_in_trouble_in_the.html

[Cruzing Mike]

Cruzing Mike,

 

There are pluses and minuses to having lifeguards, in terms of liability. In some cases, you can be held more liable if something happens, if you had a lifeguard on duty. "Swim at your own risk" policies actually reduce liability in many cases. That's the way most hotels handle it, as well.

 

It will be interesting to see what comes of this tragedy. I am sure that there will be a lawsuit, or at least lawyers lining up to try and get the parents to sue...justified or not.