When you sign up to take a trip on a cruise ship, you expect blue skies, calm seas, a tropical drink in your hand and a lot of rest and relaxation. No one who takes a cruise-ship vacation expects their trip to end in tragedy.
However, for nearly 300 people in the last 18 years, their adventure on a cruise ship ended when they fell overboard. In a recent investigation, the news website Quartz found that since 2000, 284 people have fallen overboard from cruise ships. An additional 41 people fell overboard from large ferries. Many of these falls resulted in serious injuries or fatalities.
Why do these falls still happen?
In many cases, the cruise ships in question had technology in place, such as motion detectors or cameras, that could detect and prevent falls. However, the ship staff did not always properly monitor and use this technology.
The cruise industry does not have as many safety regulations and labor practices as other tourist industries. As a result, passengers may not receive adequate protection from falls. The staff of cruise ships may not have the training necessary to assist passengers who may fall overboard. Ships may not even have enough staff to handle the emergency of a passenger falling overboard.
Seeking justice for victims and their families
Cruise ships should not be dangerous. Sadly, overboard accidents do still happen. Anyone who falls overboard while on a cruise does have legal recourse, if the cruise line’s negligence contributed to the fall. Similarly, if your loved one fell overboard while on a cruise, you also have the right to file a complaint or a lawsuit. These are two ways to pursue justice for your injury or the loss of a loved one and obtain monetary compensation.