Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer Blog
A passenger on the Seven Seas Mariner was reported overboard early morning on July 10. The 73-year-old man and his wife were on a 11-day Alaska cruise, which began in Vancouver. The vessel was on its way to Victoria, British Columbia, and just north of Neah Bay and Cape Flattery in Washington when cruise ship employers were made aware of the overboard passenger. Why the elderly man went overboard is yet unknown, though the cruise ship informed the Coast Guard that there is video of the man falling or jumping from an eight-deck balcony at 4:15 a.m. The passenger’s wife reported waking up around 4:30 a.m. to a breeze coming from the open balcony door, and at the time, there was no sign of her husband.
The ship contacted the Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound Command Center around 4:30 a.m. to report the passenger missing. The coast sent out two search helicopters and three rescue boats. They located the man the afternoon of June 10th, and he was unresponsive. He was flown to an Emergency Medical Service crew on shore and them to the Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. If your loved one recently went overboard a cruise ship, do not hesitate to speak with an attorney. Our cruise ship accident lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz P.A. offer free consultations. Call us at (877) 475-2905.
The Seven Seas Mariner
The Seven Seas Mariner is one vessel of the Regent Seven Seas Cruises. It is more than 700 feet long and can hold 700 passengers and 445 crew members, making it one of the smaller cruise ships. It is luxury cruise liner with high-end amenities, entertainment, accommodations, and restaurants. It also is the first all-suite-, all-balcony ship in the world, and was named the “Ship of the Year” in 2002 by Ocean and Cruise News. In 2018, it was dry docked for a period of time to undergo a multi-million dollar refurbishment.
Yet, despite the ship’s accolades, it appears it did not have an automatic man overboard (MOB) system. High-tech MOB systems are now readily available for cruise ships. These systems automatically detect when someone goes over a railing and sounds an alarm. The system then uses various means to track the individual in the water, such as infrared and radar technology. These capabilities can be far more accurate and helpful than video, particularly at night. A MOB system enables cruise ships and the coast guard to locate a person in the water and rescue them much faster than traditional methods.
Was the Cruise Line Negligent?
The current situation is under investigation, and the authorities will determine whether the incident resulted from an accident or the passenger knowingly jumped from the balcony. In either case, these types of incidents raise questions regarding cruise ships responsibilities, particularly in regard to the safety features implemented on the ship. Had the Seven Seas Mariner had a MOB system, it may have been able to find the elderly passenger faster, particularly since they were notified reasonably soon after he went into the water.
After a Loved One Goes Overboard, Speak With a Lawyer
If your relative went overboard on a cruise ship, you should speak with an experienced cruise ship lawyer from Gerson & Schwartz P.A. to determine if you have a legal claim against the cruise line or port. Our cruise ship attorney are highly experienced and skilled in handling claims arising from all types of incidents onboard vessels and at port. As cruise ship attorneys, we serve individuals from or injured in Florida, Texas, San Diego and San Francisco, California, Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Washington, and many more regions around the country.
To schedule a time to talk with us, call our Miami-Dade County office at (305) 371-6000.