Husband of cruise ship passenger considers suing

The husband of Janet Richardson, 73, who died after she was dropped into the Arctic Ocean during a rescue attempt is considering suing over her death

Janet Richardson was being evacuated from the ship because she was already ill when she fell into the water as paramedics tried to transfer her to a rescue boat. She spent seven minutes in the freezing water but was pulled out alive, however she died later that day.

The grandmother, from near Penrith, was aboard the Ocean Countess cruise liner on a trip along the coast of Norway when she was taken ill with internal bleeding and had to be taken ashore.

Her husband George, 78, told the Sun: 'I don't think I am going to say I am taking legal action or I am not taking legal action at the minute, I am considering it. I don't know if her falling in the water played any part in her death, we'll have to wait for the results of the post-mortem.

The ship’s captain had been so concerned about her condition that he decided she needed urgent medical treatment and would have to be taken to a hospital immediately. He radioed authorities on the Norwegian mainland and they launched a rescue operation

Within a few minutes a lifeboat had pulled up alongside the Ocean Countess and Mrs Richardson was placed on a stretcher. Unfortunately as she was passed from the Ocean Countess to the lifeboat the two boats moved apart from each other and Mrs Richardson was suddenly dropped into the sea which according to reports was -3C at the time

Mrs Richardson, who was wearing a lifebelt during the rescue attempt, was eventually hauled back on to the lifeboat and transported to Bodo, just north of the Arctic Circle.

But at the dockside she stopped breathing and was given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation before being taken to a nearby hospital where she was put under sedation. She was then airlifted to the Cumberland Hospital in Carlisle, Cumbria, where her devastated husband kept a bedside vigil in the intensive care unit.

The couple had booked the cruise to fulfil their dream of seeing the Northern Lights and boarded the ship in Hull on March 20th. But just nine days into the voyage to the Arctic Circle disaster struck. Mrs Richardson, who suffered from diabetes, fell ill during the night on March 28th. She was examined by the ship’s doctor the following morning at 5am and transferred to the onboard hospital where she was attached to a drip.

‘They were originally going to use a helicopter but then they decided to use a boat instead,’ added Mr Richardson. The authorities over there have said health and safety is tantamount but if they had wanted to be totally safe they could have gone into port, which would have made things safer.

He continued ‘They could have held the lifeboat to the ship with a rope or something. But they were reluctant to go into port because they were already running late and it would have cost extra and caused further delays.’

A spokesman for Cruise and Maritime Voyages, which operates the service, said at the time: ‘Although we do not own this ship, we have been in contact with the ship's owners and the Norwegian rescue authorities and a full investigation into the incident is taking place. We take the safety and comfort of our passengers very seriously, and although the actual logistics of the rescue was in the hands of the Norwegian rescue team, we will assist the investigation fully.’

The ship is owned by Majestic International Cruises.