# Grand Princess - Overboard



## Keltic Star (Jan 21, 2006)

From Associated Press
Updated: 9:17 a.m. ET March 25, 2007

GALVESTON, Texas - A man and woman fell overboard from a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico early Sunday, but both were rescued after a four-hour search and appeared to be in good condition, a cruise line spokeswoman said.

The 22-year-old man and 20-year-old woman fell 50 to 60 feet from a cabin balcony, said Julie Benson, spokeswoman for Princess Cruises.
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She said the cruise line did not know how they fell overboard. Their ship, Princess Cruise's Grand Princess, was about 150 miles off the coast of Galveston, Texas, at the time.

The captain turned the ship around after friends of the man and woman notified the crew at about 1:30 a.m. CDT that they had gone overboard, Benson said. The ship's crew used high-powered spotlights and rescue boats in the search. One passenger was rescued by the ship's boats at 5:30 a.m. and the other at 6 a.m., according to a statement by the cruise line.

The search was aided by the Coast Guard, said Lt. j.g. Jillian Lamb at the District 8 Command Center. A nearby cruise ship also offered assistance, she said.

The man and woman, whom the cruise line declined to name, were examined by the ship's medical staff.

"They appear to be in satisfactory condition and we hope that no further medical attention will be needed," Benson said.

Grand Princess was carrying 2,783 passengers on a seven-day tour of the western Caribbean.


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## John_F (May 12, 2005)

Sounds like a case of "Only fools, first trippers & seagulls....
They were incredibly lucky.
Kind regards,
John F.


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

I am surpised nobody has fallen from a balcony before. There is not much room. My sister is petrified of them saying there is not enough room to swing a cat.

When I was at sea, I was advised not to lean over the rail especially at night because the sea acts in a hypnotic way, and can draw you over the wall. I have never heard of that before or since. So is it total rubbish, or some truth in it?!. DAvid


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## Pat McCardle (Jun 12, 2005)

I was told the same about the hypnotic pull the sea & phosphoresence could give, when I 1st went to sea, David, in 1977. I would have thought that the height of a balcony rail would be the same as that on open decks, where you have to climb them to get over them?


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