Carnival passenger critically injured after falling onto lower cruise ship deck
A 23-year-old man aboard the Carnival Valor cruise ship this week fell off a railing where he was sitting onto a lower deck, sustaining serious injuries.
"Carnival Cruise Line can confirm that a 23-year-old male guest sailing on Carnival Valor was injured on board and, after being evaluated by the ship’s medical team, it was determined that he required further evaluation and treatment," Vance Gulliksen, a spokesperson for Carnival, told USA TODAY in a statement. "He was airlifted off the ship via helicopter and transferred to a shoreside medical facility."
The Coast Guard medevaced the man The Coast Guard medevaced the man, per a statement. The aircrew got to the scene at 5:45 a.m. and transported the man and the ship's doctor to New Orleans University Medical Hospital. He arrived there in critical condition. USA TODAY has reached out to the hospital for more information.
"Please note that contrary to earlier erroneous reports, the guest did not fall in the water but rather was injured on deck," Gulliksen added.
How to be safe on a cruise ship
Like any other travel experience, it pays to be safe on a cruise ship.
Cruise passengers should pay attention to their safety briefing as most cruise lines require safety orientation on day one of an excursion. This will let you know what you should do in case of an emergency.
In order to prevent falls, people should make sure they're wearing shoes with rubber grip soles.
Medical center hours aren't 24/7, reports Kaiser Health News. On Carnival ships, clinic service hours are only 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and they are more limited on port days. Carnival's medical team, however, is available 24/7 (and in the case of the incident this week, the medical team responded at the scene and worked with the Coast Guard).
Bahamas update: Carnival resumes port calls to Grand Bahama Friday; flights may resume in mid-November
Good to know: 9 things you didn't know about your cruise ship cabin
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Carnival Valor: Passenger fell on cruise ship, has serious injuries
