Grandma dropped in Arctic in botched rescue dies

[RamboLiberal]

Source: MSNBC

A 73-year-old grandmother who was dropped into freezing Arctic waters during botched rescue attempt has died, British media reported Saturday.

Janet Richardson died Saturday at Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, England, The Daily Mail reported. Her 78-year-old husband, George Richardson, was by her side at the time of her death.

Richardson had been fighting for her life in the British hospital after rescuers dropped her into freezing Arctic waters as they attempted to transfer her from a cruise ship to a lifeboat.

Richardson reportedly began to feel dizzy and ill on the Ocean Countess cruise along the coast of Norway last month. After she was examined by the ship's doctor the captain decided to transfer her to shore for treatment.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42697865/ns/travel-news/?GT1=43001

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What a shame.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. that's awful!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. That is very sad...

Safe passage to her...

[roody]

3. How sad.

[Journeyman]

4. Transferred her between untethered ships while traveling at 10 knots . . .

they say it's done all the time, but this landlubber sees it as somewhat reckless . . .

[dencol]

6. My much younger friend was transferred...

He had a heart attack on a mega-ship. They brought it to a complete stop and tethered it to the coast guard ship. It certainly cost the cruise line a fortune to bring such a ship to a halt, but it was the right thing to do. And they bought the insurance, which undoubtedly helped.

[Kolesar]

15. Ok, that is what I would have expected. Ten knots seems way fast to me

thanks for posting that.

[unc70]

17. Depends on the seas

That cruise ship was probably somewhere like the GoM in calm seas. This one was off Norway. They would likely have need some forward speed to maintain any stability. If they had cut their engines, they would have been tossed all about.

[muriel_volestrangler]

39. It was just 2 miles from a port

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-13154500

You'd have thought (a) the seas weren't that high (they don't look it in the photos, but perhaps it's hard to tell) (b) they could have made for the harbour, and found sheltered water and stopped - or even used a suitable quay if there was one.

[dencol]

67. Great insight.

We were in very calm seas in the GoM as you correctly assumed!

On edit: Here is a video I took of another lady they offloaded as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-I9XP5vx78

[naaman fletcher]

32. it's easier to do while moving, actually.

while moving you have control over the boat. while stopped you have none and the boats slam into each other.

[Lorien]

48. Why would it cost a "fortune" to bring the ship to a halt? nt

[dencol]

66. Inertia.

Takes a lot of energy to move 130,000 gross tons of ship from a standstill. We were also out of range of helicopters and boats for a while, so they maxed the speed out as well. There is undoubtedly a speed that is the most fuel efficient; above that speed, fuel consumption starts to grow exponentially.

[trud]

11. the way I read it in an earlier article

They didn't strap her to the stretcher which is normally a given. She had real guts managing to stay afloat in that freezing water until they got her out.

[Raine]

5. That's so sad

and her poor husband. :-(

[boppers]

7. 73 years, ended with an obscene luxury.

Not a bad way to go.

Other than the luxury part.

What do I know, though? Maybe she was donating 99% of her money to the poor while wasting the last 1% on a cruise ship.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. Vacations are 'obscene', now?

At what level does 'obscene luxury' start for you? Owning a car when you're retired? Living in a house with a garden, rather than a one room apartment? Having a TV?

[wisteria]

43. +1 n/t

[dipsydoodle]

9. Obscene luxury ?

Was only a cruise up the Norwegian coast. You might like to check Norway's proximity to Scotland sometime. Its the sort of think old folk do for holidays because there's minimal walking.

[trud]

12. I am mighty sick of DUers

I am mighty sick of DUers acting like anyone with the slightest amount of money spent on themselves is slime. Just saw that yesterday with a thread about someone reduced to scavenging cans. My God, I bought some ice cream last week, I'm obviously scum.

[CoffeeCat]

20. and if you had sprinkles...

...you can just count yourself as evil beyond repair!!!

;)

[wisteria]

44. +1 n/t

[cliffordu]

47. Truly. a minion of evil.

:rofl:

[Lucky Luciano]

14. Middle class families take cruises all the time.

How is that an obscene luxury. Maybe it is obscene to someone from Cambodia, but for someone from the UK, it is probably a very ordinary thing to do.

Obscene luxuries are things like owning private 757s or even a Gulfstream 5.

[RebelOne]

37. I have been on three cruises and I am far from rich.n/t

[Violet_Crumble]

18. I didn't realise everyone was supposed to donate all their money to charity...

And as everyone else has already pointed out, there's nothing in the way of obscene luxury in going on a cruise. Lots of old folk do it. Hell, I can go cruising round the South Pacific for around $600. Cruises are like bogan-heaven!

I don't give a shit whether or not that old lady donated to the poor. It's none of yr fucking business either...

[pschoeb]

22. The cruise line is a small company with decidedly non-luxury ships

Cruise and Maritime Voyages, leaving from Hull(which should tell you all you need to know about it's "luxury"), this hardly constitutes obscene luxury.

The cost for six days with two people to Norway(really close to England), would probably be around $1000.00 and includes food, and has about as much luxury as staying at a better Holiday Inn. It would probably be cheaper than if they stayed in London for a week.

[1monster]

34. I can't even go to Disney World for a weekend and spend less than $1,000. And

I live only two and a half hours away from there.

[Lorien]

51. Geez, I live 20 minutes from there. It's easy to spend half that for a weekend

at Disney if your hotel is not on property. There are many deals to be had in the area (not that I could afford more than a cheap dinner out right now).

[Teaser]

23. Please edit your steaming pile of stupid.

It doesn't make you look "more marxist than thou." It just makes you look sad and petty.

[tabasco]

24. One of the stupidest posts I've ever read.

Someday, you will need some sympathy and it will not be there.

[CBHagman]

27. Okay, there are some thoughts you can leave unshared.

The inner censor is your friend. Really.

[NutmegYankee]

30. What a mean-spirited and jealous post.

Many people save their entire lives to enjoy travel when they are retired. And frankly, cruises are not that expensive compared to living in retirement. Good grief!

[naaman fletcher]

33. not her fault you have nothing. nt.

[wisteria]

42. What? People aren't suppose to travel and enjoy themselves?

What a miserable existance it would be to never enjoy yourself. Some people can afford to both help those in need and enjoy their lives too. Should we all live in misery because some of us have more than others?
Oh, and a cruise isn't exactly obscene luxury.

[UndertheOcean]

46. You , sir , or probably cur , are an ASSHOLE , go away.

[Lorien]

50. Wait a minute now; the guy in your sig line lives a life that is 100x as obscenely

luxurious as that an elderly person deciding to see a bit of the world before they die. Maybe Obama should stop giving luxury state dinners and the White House and start spending that money on soup kitchens instead? Where did all of his publishing royalties go? Why does he wear such expensive suits? Does Michelle REALLY need those designer clothes??

:eyes:

[Very_Boring_Name]

56. What an idiotic statement

[Mz Pip]

58. What a sanctimonious holier than thou

comment. Who died and made you king of judgmental arrogance?

[stockholmer]

61. wow, your comment is so representative of the reasoning that corporatist America exploits

over here we work to live, you seem to live to work

[Codeine]

62. Cruise ships are fairly cheap vacations.

Boring as all fuck for someone like me, but certainly not extravagant.

[dipsydoodle]

10. They have yet to mention

cause of death which may even be the reason she was transferred back to shore. Sad all the same.

[Confusious]

13. hypothermia wasn't going to help whatever she had

I lived in Alaska for a long time. All kids are taught about frostbite and hypothermia. Unprotected, in freezing waters, a young healthy person has 5 minutes. The older you are, the less time you have.

[wisteria]

45. That was what I was wondering-the real cause of death. n/t

[dipsydoodle]

49. To be determined

Not pre-judged. Diabetic coma has been mentioned.

[KurtNYC]

16. Look how they insert the word "rescue" there -- it was a transfer

she was safely on one ship and they failed to get her safely to another.

The only time she needed a rescue was after they dropped her. She needed a rescue from their rescue.

[jberryhill]

19. "Person Takes Voluntary Risk. Foreseeable Event Occurs"

Ladies and Gentleman, if it has not occurred to you before, I would like to inform you that the risk of coming into any contact whatsoever with arctic ocean water can be totally elimininated from your life.

If you are concerned about this story, and you often ask yourself "Gee, is there anything I can do, so that, for example, I would never become ill aboard a ship in the Arctic and possibly have to be transferred?", then I have great news for you.

And now, for a limited time only, I am offering this amazing secret - "How you can avoid falling into Arctic water during a medical transfer" - direct to the public.

Think of the peace of mind for you, for your loved ones and friends, knowing that you have learned this powerful secret.

And all for just three easy payments of $9.99.

Act today, and we will include a free bonus secret - "How to avoid falling out of blimps" - at no extra charge.

[tabasco]

25. What a sad life you must lead.

I can almost muster some pity for you.

[jberryhill]

29. Mustering $9.99 would be more helpful

Lol

Ocean travel, even with all the techniques at our disposal, carries the inherent risk of falling into the ocean, or becoming ill and not having immediate access to emergency medical care.

Nobody here was bent on flinging granny overboard or putting her at undue risk of casually dropping her into the water during this unfortunate event. I'm sure the crew was doing their level best to help this lady out.

Now, I realize that DU is chock full of bathtub admirals who would have prevented this from occurring, and there is no doubt that by now the Norwegian military and civilian seafaring services are, as we speak, vigorously recruiting DU members to provide advanced training in seamanship and rescue.

[tabasco]

41. I have two combat tours under my belt, sparky

I'm sure that seems foolhardy to the cowards among us.

[jberryhill]

57. On blimps?

Man, that's hardcore

[Turbineguy]

26. OK, I'll bite

Can you give me a few more details about the blimp bit?

[jberryhill]

31. You have to pay first

But I'll give you a hint.

The key to avoiding falling out of a blimp is:

"Don't go for a ride on a ?????"

When you send in your money, I will reveal the secret code word in the sentence above, and I promise that if you take that simple step, you will absolutely never fall out of a blimp.

[harmonicon]

36. And if you never leave your house, you'll never be hit by a bus. Great!! nt.

[fasttense]

21. Well, she seemed to have a fine life

and died while on an adventure (at least for a 73 year old it is considered an adventure).

I think if I had to go, this would be kind of a good way. No lingering in the hospital, your beloved by your bedside. The only part I wouldn't like would be the dunking in the freezing water.

[CBHagman]

28. You have the luxury of thinking about that.

None us knows how we are going to feel five minutes from now, let alone when the end comes.

[harmonicon]

35. shit, I'd rather not think that a life that ends at 73 with an accident is a "fine life".

My dad will be 73 this year, and if he died in this fashion, I would be far from ok with it.

[muriel_volestrangler]

38. Actually ,she did linger in hospital with her husband by her side

It happened over 3 weeks ago; she was in intensive care in Norway for a week, and was then transferred to a British hospital close to their home.

[Lorien]

52. You obviously didn't read the article

and no, I don't believe that you would have held the same belief were you in her shoes.

[wisteria]

40. A real shame. n/t

[hayu_lol]

55. I noted from one link that the nearby harbor was...

Bodo. In the early 60s, all Bodo had was a fishing fleet. The large oceangoing port is north of Bodo at Tromso(definitely north of the artic circle). The ship may not have been able to safely dock at Bodo.

The next northern port(can take liners)north of Tromso would have been Hammerfest--the northernmost ice free port in the world...but that is an overnight cruise from Tromso.

[Lorien]

53. Wow, this thread sure has brought out the hateful, compassionless assholes

who knew that so many DUers would believe that a 73 year old grandmothers life is worth ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Now I'm not so surprised that the issues don't matter to these same individuals (except gun and privacy rights, perhaps). Nothing matters to them but themselves. Pitiful.

[harmonicon]

59. It's the American Way (tm)

I see it here all the time, and I don't know what to make of it, though I think it may inform my feelings about never wanting to move back to the US.

[Nostradammit]

60. Please don't forget that some people get paid to disrupt progressive forums

At this point it would be nearly impossible to post a topic like this
and NOT have the trolls swarming all over it. I'm sure all authentic
DUers value the lives of grandmothers, Lorien.

[stockholmer]

63. [phone]

[JanMichael]

54. Sadly, the 99.99% of EMS rescues that are "uneventful" never make the news

when there is a problem, it hits the internet as news, and a bunch of armchair quarterbacks who have never participated in such an even feel free to offer up their opinions.

I imagine the cruise line, the EMS personnel, and the family feel horrible about this entire event.

I can't imagine what the EMS personnel even feel like right now.

Sad all around.

[Prometheus Bound]

64. I'm trying to figure out why so many reports have "Grandma" in the headline.

Her age might be relevant, but is grandma? Is it to make her sound extra old and helpless? Or to make her more likable and endearing, and therefore the accident even more horrible?

Her husband is five years older but he is only referred to as a "78-year-old husband", or "the husband of a grandmother" (Sky News), not a grandpa. If he were the one dumped in the icy water would the headlines say "Grandpa dropped in Arctic"?

Somehow this irritates me. It seems patronizing, like when a nurse calls an elderly person 'dear' in the hospital.

http://news.google.com/news/story?pz=1&cf=all&ned=uk&hl=en&ncl=dvIluJ9O865rqCMf8q7AqKvrIzKaM

[NJCher]

65. I noted that, too

I can't figure out why they singled in on "granny." It annoyed me, as I thought it sounded condescending. Most people are parents and, therefore, at some point grandparents. So what?

It might not have been the reporter who made up the headline. Copy editors make up headlines.

I felt bad when I heard about this story the first time. After all, 73 isn't all that old. I know several people in their early 70s who could be taken for in their mid-60s. I also feel for the husband, who now must live out his years without his wife. What a bitter disappointment, especially when all they were trying to do was have a good time.

Sometimes life just @#$@#ing sucks.


Cher