Man over board on Sun Princess

[Host Jazzbeau]

Yep totally possible to fall overboard.

 

If you're doing something stupid.

 

Rather a harsh statement, I would love to see the risk calculations to prove that it is impossible. The amount of accidents I have studied in workplaces I would say it is highly improbably someone would fall overboard but not impossible.

 

 

You took GUT2407 out of context. That was a reply to this post

Maybe she "fell" while doing something really stupid, like sitting on a balcony rail.

So please recalculate your workplace accident data based on people sitting on balcony rails.

[Womble99]

You took GUT2407 out of context. That was a reply to this post

Maybe she "fell" while doing something really stupid, like sitting on a balcony rail.

So please recalculate your workplace accident data based on people sitting on balcony rails.

 

Yes you are right Jazzbeau I have quoted GUT2407 out of context and I apologize to him for that. I mentioned I was not speculating on how this person ended up in the predicament that they were in, I wanted to highlight the point that it is possible to fall from a ship by accident even though extremely unlikely despite what most people believe.

 

We live is a society that is managed by risk, the fact that there is open decks and balconies available means the risk to passengers has been assessed as low enough to be acceptable. Noting that low enough is not zero.

 

In the situation you hypothesis an individual sitting on a balcony rail has a c of g above the rail, in the event of a loss of balance there is a limited opportunity to arrest the fall by holding the rail as the body would be in motion with gravity assistance. Likelihood of falling overboard has now significantly increased from those of a person not sitting on a balcony rail.

[GUT2407]

Quite a few years ago, on the old star princess in alaska -- the gangway became detatched

from the ship, and a passenger was killed FALLING between she ship and the pier.

 

 

Yep equipment malfunctions happen. Same as leaning against the railing and it breaking, I guess, "CAN" happen.

 

But again that is, in my honest opinion, a long way from saying someone fell off the ship. Sure it may be factually correct but doesn't tell the real story.

 

By the by it is being reported elsewhere that she jumped.

[Gwendy]

Cruise lines take security seriously. On one cruise I was at the back of the ship on my own at about 1 am having a last ciggie before bed. Just sitting in the dark at the closed up bar. Suddenly the security guy stopped by for a "chat". He quickly worked out what I was there for, had a chat and left. On reflection I realised he was checking out whether I was going to be a jumper.

[rgmacm]

In the midst of all the speculation....and scientific calculations...the idea that it MIGHT not have been an accident is not even being considered.

Now...since 'speculation' is the mode of the day (not only here, but in EVERY media outlet recently...) you have to at least consider that it might have been an intentional act...either someone pushed (attempted murder) or she (didn't the article say it was a female??) jumped (suicide).

Of course, I would imagine that if there are any interviews (unlikely) or reports, (extremely likely) only the 'pushed' story would get out....a 'jumped' story would be strategically hidden as you would expect...and honestly, if that were the case, the individual involved should be given the privacy of it being 'hidden'.

But...knowing what I know about balconies...railings...and the tilt/angle on them, 'falling' just doesn't make sense. I 'speculate' it was one of the previous two scenarios..... (in the interest of 'speculation'....)

Edited February 19, 2017 by rgmacm

[GUT2407]

Cruise lines take security seriously. On one cruise I was at the back of the ship on my own at about 1 am having a last ciggie before bed. Just sitting in the dark at the closed up bar. Suddenly the security guy stopped by for a "chat". He quickly worked out what I was there for, had a chat and left. On reflection I realised he was checking out whether I was going to be a jumper.

 

 

 

Yep, I've had and seen similar, I have trouble sleeping, due to pain, so will often go for a walk at strange hours and have been approached and then when they get to know me have seen crew (not just security either) hovering around people who seem distressed.

[Aussieflyer]

And following in the 'interests of speculation' as you say, perhaps said passenger would not have been best pleased with being rescued. On the other hand, I certainly would not have wanted to have been in that situation. The ship's crew did a wonderful job of locating and rescuing the passenger, regardless of how she got to be in the water.

[GUT2407]

And following in the 'interests of speculation' as you say, perhaps said passenger would not have been best pleased with being rescued. On the other hand, I certainly would not have wanted to have been in that situation. The ship's crew did a wonderful job of locating and rescuing the passenger, regardless of how she got to be in the water.

 

 

 

Or was, perhaps, very happy to be saved.

[easyboy]

Cruise lines take security seriously. On one cruise I was at the back of the ship on my own at about 1 am having a last ciggie before bed. Just sitting in the dark at the closed up bar. Suddenly the security guy stopped by for a "chat". He quickly worked out what I was there for, had a chat and left. On reflection I realised he was checking out whether I was going to be a jumper.

Hope every security guy does their job well on this matter. It is discomforting throughout the remainder of the cruise if one of your co-passenger does the "jump", even if totally a stranger.

[Aussieflyer]

Or was, perhaps, very happy to be saved.

What, changed her mind? Could well have.

It may have seemed a good idea at the time, as they say.

[tonit964]

I agree, but wish the media would stop trying to make it sound like you can just slip and fall off a cruise ship.

 

 

I wish they would stop it as well. I have a friend that is going on her first cruise with her family but she is so scared she is going to fall overboard because of what the news reports say and keeps asking me for reassurance.

 

If you are just walking along the promenade or Lido deck, you cannot just fall overboard, unless a freak wind picked you up and OVER the railing, which doesn't happen.

[SinbadThePorter]

I agree, but wish the media would stop trying to make it sound like you can just slip and fall off a cruise ship.

 

 

It's like people shooting themselves while "cleaning their gun".

 

It's a polite fiction that protects feelings.

[MJSailors]

In the midst of all the speculation....and scientific calculations...the idea that it MIGHT not have been an accident is not even being considered.

Now...since 'speculation' is the mode of the day (not only here, but in EVERY media outlet recently...) you have to at least consider that it might have been an intentional act...either someone pushed (attempted murder) or she (didn't the article say it was a female??) jumped (suicide).

Of course, I would imagine that if there are any interviews (unlikely) or reports, (extremely likely) only the 'pushed' story would get out....a 'jumped' story would be strategically hidden as you would expect...and honestly, if that were the case, the individual involved should be given the privacy of it being 'hidden'.

But...knowing what I know about balconies...railings...and the tilt/angle on them, 'falling' just doesn't make sense. I 'speculate' it was one of the previous two scenarios..... (in the interest of 'speculation'....)

Totally agree.

Lucky for her that she was saved by the Princess crews'

efforts.

If she did jump with the thought of ending her life, I hope that she receives help for her situation and mental health. So very difficult to be in a situation where all hope for life is gone.

This passenger deserves privacy and the captain and crew deserve accolades for their rescue actions.

[caribill]

It's like people shooting themselves while "cleaning their gun".

 

It's a polite fiction that protects feelings.

 

 

What happened in West Virginia:

http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1992/Police-Man-Shoots-Self-in-Foot-Three-Times-Cleaning-Guns/id-57b946eb15f8c06df6270c6ce4051f4e

[pablo222]

What happened in West Virginia:

http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1992/Police-Man-Shoots-Self-in-Foot-Three-Times-Cleaning-Guns/id-57b946eb15f8c06df6270c6ce4051f4e

 

 

I often wonder -- if cleaning one's gun(s) is so dangerous, why don't people send them out? :)

[toescat]

We are sailing on the Sun Princess out of Brisbane and on February 17 while sailing to Nouvmea at about 4 pm the bridge made an announcement that there was a man over board. Repeated this announcement three times then the ship horn was signaled and the ship made a quick turn. You could see two life preserves with their smoking flares in the water as we headed backward to where they were. The bridge announced again there was a man over board and that they would be putting a lifeboat in the water to investigate. Shorty after this announcement they announced a name of a passenger to immediately contact passenger services. This name was a female name. Once we reached where the life preserves were anchor was put down and the life boat was put into the water to investigate. My husband had his binoculars with him and after about 45 minutes after the first man over board announcement you could see the life boat race over to something bobbing in the water. My husband said it was very hard to see this peson in the water with the binoculars because they were in the sun. He could see them pull a lady into the life boat and shortly after the captain announced that they had safely found the man over board and were returning them to the ship and the medical personal would check them over. Thank goodness this person was found alive and safe. Everyone on board seemed very thankful for the very professional rescue job the Sun Princess Crew did!

 

I was on the Disney Wonder March 2011 when a cruise staff jumped overboard during the night in a bad storm. For two days they were announcing her name on the ship when they finally announced that she may have gone overboard the first night at sea. The day we boarded the Wonder it came into port around 11 am and it is there normally at 6:30am. We are having really bad rain storms all week and that Saturday was really bad. We did not leave port until after 8:00pm which was highly unusual and the ship was rocking so bad I just went to the cabin and went to bed. We had 17 - 22 ft waves that night and there would have been no way to save this young women had anyone saw her jump. It was only a few months after we returned home that we saw the event unfold on 20/20. Even to this day I still get tears in my eyes just thinking about her, a total stranger and how she may have chose to end her life. I an so glad they were able to rescue the women who went overboard on your ship. Everyone needs to remember to stay off of the railings and not horse around.

[LeeW]

I have a friend that is going on her first cruise with her family but she is so scared she is going to fall overboard because of what the news reports say and keeps asking me for reassurance.

 

 

If she is on a Grand class ship it is REALLY hard - the wedding cake shape of the ship means that a fall from a balcony would usually land on another balcony.

[GUT2407]

What, changed her mind? Could well have.

It may have seemed a good idea at the time, as they say.

 

 

 

Yep.

 

I've been involved in a number of suicide groups, support and prevention. Many survivors are glad they survived.

[riclop]

It's happening too often. Prayers.

[BDRebel]

I often wonder -- if cleaning one's gun(s) is so dangerous, why don't people send them out? :)

Cleaning a handgun is not dangerous.

Cleaning a loaded handgun while you are drunk is dangerous (and stupid).

[caribill]

What, changed her mind? Could well have.

It may have seemed a good idea at the time, as they say.

 

 

Like this story in the news recently:

 

It was two days before Christmas when Andy Sandness reached a breaking point.

 

He'd been sad and drinking too much lately. That night after work while "super, super depressed," he grabbed a rifle from a closet. He stared at it for a while, then put a round in the chamber. He positioned the barrel beneath his chin, took a deep breath and pulled the trigger.

 

Instantly, he knew he'd made a terrible mistake.

[Bardou544]

Cleaning a handgun is not dangerous.

Cleaning a loaded handgun while you are drunk is dangerous (and stupid).

Ain't that the truth. However, it takes an effort to fall or jump overboard. Cleaning a gun means it takes more effort to get it right.

 

Sent from my SM-T550 using Forums mobile app

[LA_CA_GAL]

Fantastic, even if she was doing something stupid, it doesn't warrant the death penalty. Everyone does something stupid at least once in their life.

 

Granted, I have done a lot of stupid things.

However, sometimes incredible stupidity results in death.

Managing to "fall off" a cruise ship usually results in death.

My advice - Do not "fall off" a cruise ship.