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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder how the fluffing hell you can 'fall off' a cruise ship?!

427 replies

katiefromtheblock · 20/08/2018 14:49

I mean HOW? Just HOW?

I am an average height (5 ft 4ish) and the rail was up to my chest when me and DH went on a cruise ship 3 years ago. It was like this on the attached pic.

To wonder how the fluffing hell you can 'fall off' a cruise ship?!
OP posts:
tinytemper66 · 20/08/2018 16:03

She couldn't have been that drunk surely if she managed to stay afloat for all that time?
However listening to Jeremy Vine earlier her antics meant people were unable to make their flights and also couldn't get to the cruise ship and were delayed.

SirGawain · 20/08/2018 16:03

She's certainly very brave
Or stupid!

pacer142 · 20/08/2018 16:03

If she was drunk, she probably wasn't flailing around and wasting her energy trying to swim. In relatively calm/warm waters, you could just float for hours. She probably wouldn't have survived if she was sober and tried to swim/tread water for that long. Sometimes, being "out of it" is an advantage. Anything buoyant will float forever in calm waters.

SerenDippitty · 20/08/2018 16:03

Well apparently she put her bag and passport down on the floor where they were found. If she just “fell” in wouldn’t she have been holding them

Why on earth would she have had her passport with her? We always kept ours in the cabin safe.

SirGawain · 20/08/2018 16:05

I think you have a passenger card on the ship that's scanned as you leave to go ashore and as you come back on board so not so easy just to disappear.
True but the ship won't wait. They will just report the absence to the local police and leave.

Oblomov18 · 20/08/2018 16:07

I too find the whole story very very odd.
I've got About 20 questions that need answering.

SirGawain · 20/08/2018 16:07

Anything buoyant will float forever in calm waters.
Usually the wrong side up. (head and face in the water)!

BlancheM · 20/08/2018 16:07

Christ! She's lucky. I haven't seen the photos of the ship but usually the impact on the water (catastrophic internal injuries) from a fall so high would be fatal, rather than drowning as it would be like being in a car crash . Then she lasted so long in the water.
Wtf.

PickwickThePlockingDodo · 20/08/2018 16:08

I don't believe a word of it Hmm

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 20/08/2018 16:08

I see the disappearance stats and always think of Amy Lynn Bradley tbh.

SerenDippitty · 20/08/2018 16:12

Christ! She's lucky. I haven't seen the photos of the ship but usually the impact on the water (catastrophic internal injuries) from a fall so high would be fatal, rather than drowning as it would be like being in a car crash

In the safety briefings that everyone has to attend at the beginning of the cruise they do tell you how to jump into the water should it be necessary in an emergency. But in that case you would probably be wearing a life jacket......

serbska · 20/08/2018 16:14

Interesting links @MirriVan - thanks

HemanOrSheRa · 20/08/2018 16:14

She looks remarkably well for someone who's been floating in salt water for 10 hours 🤔. Never mind falling 20 m off the back off a cruise liner and hitting the water!

LuckyDiamond · 20/08/2018 16:18

Her partner was taken off the ship in handcuffs so the story goes on my local FB Page where a member is on the cruise (or a member’s auntie’s neighbours 😎)

lostinjapan · 20/08/2018 16:19

It could have been a suicide attempt possibly? I remember reading a story about survivors who’d jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge and most felt instant regret as soon as they were in the air. That would be quite sad though, so I hope it was just a case of her being pissed and taking a selfie, or similar.

dotdotdot3 · 20/08/2018 16:20

Lots of people 'go missing' from cruise ships while at sea. Lots of theories about what happens. Jon Ronson wrote about this and the Rebecca Coriam case in the Guardian, and more extensively in his book 'Lost At Sea'

www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/nov/11/rebecca-coriam-lost-at-sea

longtimelurkingtrans · 20/08/2018 16:24

Virtually impossible to fall overboard in calm conditions unless she was climbing or a deliberate act by her or another person. Glad she was recovered alive and well.

Mrbatmun · 20/08/2018 16:24

The waiter has his job to do. There will be a response team who will initiate the appropriate measures. The entire crew of 800 or more don't dash on deck to see what is going on. The ship and passengers still needs to be looked after.

I didn't mean I expected the whole crew to go out on deck panicking and helping with a rescue. Its just that the waiter didn't seem all that bothered that someone from the ship was potentially drowning in the sea! I was beside myself!

Puzzledandpissedoff · 20/08/2018 16:25

How did she miss being churned up in the motors?

The Norwegian Star has azipods rather than old fashioned propellers; you wouldn't want to tangle with one, but they're "tucked" under the ship rather than sticking out at the rear so are less of a mincing machine

FWIW I also think there's more to this than has been reported, but given the rumour mill which blasts around cruise ships when anything happens, I'm only surprised nobody claimed she'd been swallowed by a whale ...

ButchyRestingFace · 20/08/2018 16:25

Thing is if she was that drunk how did she not drown? Very odd

If falling from the deck of a ship into sea water, then watching said ship disappear into a tiny dot on the horizon, doesn't sober you up, I don't know what will. Grin

Mrbatmun · 20/08/2018 16:29

I think you have a passenger card on the ship that's scanned as you leave to go ashore and as you come back on board so not so easy just to disappear.

Yes, I guess they would know you had got off at that particular port so that would give them an idea as to where you went, rather than just disappearing.

Hoozz · 20/08/2018 16:30

Cruise ships are big places. If you wanted to hide from friends/family, it would probably be quite easy to do,
I just finished a novel in which a character hides on a cruise ship for over a year Grin

HolyMountain · 20/08/2018 16:31

The Rebecca Coriam mystery is so sad, her poor parents Sad.

Original poster
katiefromtheblock · 20/08/2018 16:34

Yes the Rebecca Coriam mystery IS sad. Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
katiefromtheblock · 20/08/2018 16:34

@jenasaurus

when I used to go to the isle of wight with my parents and sister as a child my mum would pack arm bands for us in case we fell off the ferry! I do wonder though how that would work as we werent wandering around wearing them so if we fell off she would just have to quickly get one out, blow it up and chuck it to us! gave her peace of mind I suppose.

This made me LOL Grin

@ShatnersWig

Moment I saw it I was dubious, more from her behaviour than anything else. More is already coming out...A crew member already saying she was a problem passenger.

Thanks SW. Very interesting.. Wink

@Acatsnohelpwiththat

Sounds like she was FallingOffBoatyMcShitfaced. Grin

@SerenDippity

If it was a deliberate act on her part, and I fail to see how it could not have been, I think she should be heavily fined, seeing as the cruise schedule was disrupted because of her and people missed their flights home.

Agree.

@Momo27

She came across as a twat. If there’s evidence it was deliberate or due to sheer stupidity I hope she has the shit fined out of her. It must have caused massive disruption to other passengers who would have had holidays disrupted, missed connecting flights, or important family events due to the delay.

I agree with this too. ^ She does seem to be revelling in the media attention.

OP posts: