Thread: Injured cruise passenger flown to Tampa hospital

Injured cruise passenger flown to Tampa hospital




ST. PETERSBURG: A 46-year-old cruise-goer is being treated at a Tampa hospital after being evacuated by the Coast Guard.
Authorities say Andrew Spicer was injured from a fall aboard a Holland America cruise ship and was airlifted Saturday night from the Gulf of Mexico.
The ms Ryndam ship was roughly 120 miles southwest of St. Petersburg at the time. His condition was not available Sunday.
Spicer's hometown was not released.

Information from: St. Petersburg Times, Tampa newspapers: The Times, TBT & tampabay.com

Gosh, the fall must have been rather serious for him to have to have been flown out!

Please let us know if you read any updates.

I will LuLu, I keep checking. Yes it must have been bad

It's so easy to have an accident aboard ship, from tripping and falling down the stairs to slipping on a wet deck or in the casual dining venue. I think that is one reason lifeboad drills on most ships no longer require you to bring your life vest with you to the drill. I've seen so many people letting their belt drag on the floor where others can trip on them, it's become a safety issue.

I do hope the cruiser makes a full recovery!

Garry

So sorry to hear this.

As a rule HAL will not air lift a passenger off a ship unless that passenger needs immediate attention when they are getting close to a port whether it be the disembarkation port or a regular port stop -- so this sounds very serious.

Thanks for the information.

Associated Press - December 23, 2010 12:24 PM ET
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - A cruise ship passenger being treated at a Tampa hospital after a fall on the boat is expected to be home for Christmas.
The wife of 46-year-old Andrew Spicer told the St. Petersburg Times Thursday that he's in good condition at Tampa General Hospital. Diane Spice also said her husband apparently suffered an acute tear of his diaphragm while playing basketball on the ship, which led to other complications.
Andrew Spicer of Valrico was injured while on the Holland America cruise ship and had to be airlifted last Saturday from the Gulf of Mexico. The ship was roughly 120 miles southwest of St. Petersburg at the time.

Information from: St. Petersburg Times, Tampa newspapers: The Times, TBT & tampabay.com

He is a very lucky man. A severe injury to the diaphragm could have caused immediate death.