Cruise ship passenger killed on zip line?

[Fincherson]

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2018/07/articles/excursions/passenger-killed-in-zip-lining-accident-during-cruise-to-roatan/

 

 

Has anyone heard any information on this tragedy? I'm horrified for this poor family. I'm sure the safety issues will be addressed but I can't imagine booking this now...

[JT1962]

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2018/07/articles/excursions/passenger-killed-in-zip-lining-accident-during-cruise-to-roatan/

 

 

 

 

 

Has anyone heard any information on this tragedy? I'm horrified for this poor family. I'm sure the safety issues will be addressed but I can't imagine booking this now...

 

 

I had not seen this, but it is not a complete surprise. The safety standards in most of the Caribbean ports are not the same as the US Canada or much of Europe. This does not sound like an equipment failure, but a failure to allow enough time between each person starting their zip to the next platform or failure of one of those in the accident to follow instructions.

 

While rare, accidents do happen. The main issue for me is the lack of quality medical care / trauma center if something does happen. The hospital I saw on Roatan appeared to be more of a clinic. As noted in the article, one of the victims was flown to the US via air ambulance.

 

This is another example of why it is important to always have travel insurance that includes a good medical plan, including coverage for evacuation back home. It is tragic enough to deal with the results of an accident / injury / death. It makes it even more traumatic when bills arrive for tens of thousands of dollars in medical expenses that are not normally covered by the average health insurance plan.

 

 

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[puppycanducruise]

Our condolences to the family and friends of the passenger.

[davidofsc]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/tourists-on-honeymoon-collide-while-zip-lining-leaving-husband-dead-and-wife-injured/ar-AAzMwaI?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=oie8dlpg

 

Here is a bigger article. The horrible part is that the owner and the county blame the couple for the accident

[elmojessi]

So very sad.

 

Does anyone know which Zip provider it was? From the article, I'm guessing Caribe Sky CanopyTour due to their proximity to French Harbor.

[crewsweeper]

The update in the first article mentions it was raining at the time. And seemed to confirm it was an RCCL sponsored excursion. If it was raining, that should have been a allstop for the zip line guides and company. Even if it was only a shower. While it wasn't mentioned, I think the zip line up by French Harbor is Caribe Canopy. But there are so many new ones of late that might not be the place. For sure, SouthShore, Pirates and Clip n Zip aren't in that area.

[JT1962]

The horrible part is that the owner and the county blame the couple for the accident

 

 

It’s a sad story. We will probably never know whether the company failed to stop the husband from starting his Zip across or he went on his own after being told to wait.

 

 

 

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[evandbob]

It’s a sad story. We will probably never know whether the company failed to stop the husband from starting his Zip across or he went on his own after being told to wait.

 

 

 

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Exactly. And no amount of speculation or guessing on here why this happened can change the outcome - a couple just married, one injured the other dead.

 

Maybe posters can learn from it, maybe not. There have been other fatalities zip lining in Roatan, but cruisers still line up to enjoy the thrill. This is one instance where booking a cruise excursion did not help.

[bbtbear]

Here's another article from the Washington Post... https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/07/09/tourists-on-honeymoon-collide-while-zip-lining-leaving-husband-dead-and-wife-injured/?utm_term=.b7661672cd5a

[Fincherson]

I'm glad bigger outlets have picked up the story. I'm just sick for this woman and both families. How horrific and preventable. Will anybody be held responsible?

[#1TravelMom]

Unfortunately, this is not unique to other countries. We have a mountain resort nearby. One teen was goofing off and stopped midway. His friend thought it would be hilarious to go early and run into him. Between them, they had 2 broken legs, sprained back, broken ribs and punctured lung. Could have easily been fatal.

[Fincherson]

Unfortunately, this is not unique to other countries. We have a mountain resort nearby. One teen was goofing off and stopped midway. His friend thought it would be hilarious to go early and run into him. Between them, they had 2 broken legs, sprained back, broken ribs and punctured lung. Could have easily been fatal.

 

I doubt anyone thinks it's unique to Roatan but I would think twice about it after seeing their hospital.

[Wordell1]

I zip lined with my son and a guide in Roatan (Victor Bodden Tour). The guide went first and my son second. I was clearly instructed not to go until he directed, from the other side, and was specifically warned about this issue.

 

He had some concerns about my son getting stuck as he was low on the weight scale and told me how he would go out to get him if this happened.

 

Having just done this, I really don't see how someone would make a decision to do what the husband did - how did he think he was going to stop? How did he think he was going to get her moving again?. I feel bad for everyone involved.

 

I would go again in a heartbeat and at no time felt unsafe for me or my son.

[Fincherson]

I zip lined with my son and a guide in Roatan (Victor Bodden Tour). The guide went first and my son second. I was clearly instructed not to go until he directed, from the other side, and was specifically warned about this issue.

 

He had some concerns about my son getting stuck as he was low on the weight scale and told me how he would go out to get him if this happened.

 

Having just done this, I really don't see how someone would make a decision to do what the husband did - how did he think he was going to stop? How did he think he was going to get her moving again?. I feel bad for everyone involved.

 

I would go again in a heartbeat and at no time felt unsafe for me or my son.

 

 

What did the husband do?

[Guest 2000]

What did the husband do?

 

Zip lines are a series of slides from elevated platforms. From what I understand the person on the zip line has to complete their run and get on the next platform before the next person goes, this is to avoid crashes between people. It is possible that the wife was on the zip line, had not completed her run, had not gotten on the platform and the husband went. This means now that there's two people on the zip line. What we don't know is did the husband lose his footing on the platform he was supposed to stay on? did one of the canopy people tell him to go? did he get so excited about it he just went? Was there some other reason that he was on the zip line before the wife had completed her run?

 

this is all speculation and we may never know exactly what happened.

 

I'm so very sorry for the families.

[Fincherson]

Zip lines are a series of slides from elevated platforms. From what I understand the person on the zip line has to complete their run and get on the next platform before the next person goes, this is to avoid crashes between people. It is possible that the wife was on the zip line, had not completed her run, had not gotten on the platform and the husband went. This means now that there's two people on the zip line. What we don't know is did the husband lose his footing on the platform he was supposed to stay on? did one of the canopy people tell him to go? did he get so excited about it he just went? Was there some other reason that he was on the zip line before the wife had completed her run?

 

this is all speculation and we may never know exactly what happened.

 

I'm so very sorry for the families.

 

 

Right. I know what zip lines are. I was confused by the person I responded to saying the husband "made a decision" when I haven't read that anywhere. As far as I know none of us knows how he ended up going down the line too soon. I thought perhaps the person I responded to had some insight that we don't. If not, I don't think it's fair to blame the husband when we have no idea what happened.

[Guest 2000]

Right. I know what zip lines are. I was confused by the person I responded to saying the husband "made a decision" when I haven't read that anywhere. As far as I know none of us knows how he ended up going down the line too soon. I thought perhaps the person I responded to had some insight that we don't. If not, I don't think it's fair to blame the husband when we have no idea what happened.

 

Perhaps you missed the paragraph in my post which said - this is all speculation and we may never know exactly what happened.

 

I am not blaming anyone.

[Fincherson]

Perhaps you missed the paragraph in my post which said - this is all speculation and we may never know exactly what happened.

 

I am not blaming anyone.

 

Perhaps you missed the part in my post where I said I was speaking of a previous poster. Their name is Wordell1 and that is who I asked what happened to. Did you read their post, or no?

[Guest 2000]

Perhaps you missed the part in my post where I said I was speaking of a previous poster. Their name is Wordell1 and that is who I asked what happened to. Did you read their post, or no?

 

and yet you quoted me... communication is a challenge on a good day.

 

I was only trying to help you understand, my mistake. I will not respond to this thread again.

[OCruisers]

Thank goodness it wasn't fatal which it easily could have been.

[Fincherson]

Thank goodness it wasn't fatal which it easily could have been.

 

Unfortunately it was. :(

[rsharp83]

So very sad.

 

Does anyone know which Zip provider it was? From the article, I'm guessing Caribe Sky CanopyTour due to their proximity to French Harbor.

 

 

I keep looking for WHICH zip line company was the one where this accident occurred. NOWHERE can I find that answer. I've looked at dozens of media reports and none of them will say what the name of the zip line business is or anything specific about it. I find that to be unconscionable reporting and likely a concerted obfuscation of the facts by those in charge in Honduras.

 

I am headed to Roatan in a couple of months and was planning to book a zip line tour this week. I had been researching but just hadn't booked yet. Now I am not sure what I'm going to do. I really wanted to do a jungle zip.

[Fincherson]

I keep looking for WHICH zip line company was the one where this accident occurred. NOWHERE can I find that answer. I've looked at dozens of media reports and none of them will say what the name of the zip line business is or anything specific about it. I find that to be unconscionable reporting and likely a concerted obfuscation of the facts by those in charge in Honduras.

 

I am headed to Roatan in a couple of months and was planning to book a zip line tour this week. I had been researching but just hadn't booked yet. Now I am not sure what I'm going to do. I really wanted to do a jungle zip.

 

AGREED. I'm heading there in August and feel the same.

[rsharp83]

In looking at Cruise Planner I found that the Extreme Caribe Zip Line tour that used to be there is gone. (I think).

 

The Adrenaline Zip Adventure is still there and has the following language:

• THIS TOUR IS OPERATED BY A TOUR OPERATOR THAT HAS BEEN THIRD-PARTY VERIFIED TO AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SUSTAINABILITY STANDARD.
  

Not 100% sure that was there before.

[amc155]

The first article I read on this, that I saw on Facebook, said that the line operators did not have walkie-talkies to communicate. I think it also said that assisting the couple took longer than normal because of clouds/weather? So very sad no matter why it occured.