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CostaBlancaPeople 21st - 27th August
BRITISH WOMAN SURVIVES 10 HOURS IN SEA AFTER CRUISE SHIP FALL
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British woman has survived after falling from a cruise ship off the coast of Croatia, the country’s coastguard has said. Kay Longstaff, aged 46, was rescued 10 hours after falling into the Adriatic Sea - 60 miles offshore - around midnight on Saturday. The woman - named by newspapers as Kay Longstaff - was taken to hospital in the town of Pula. She told reporters she fell off the back
and was “very lucky to be alive”. Speaking to Croatian news channel HRT after stepping off the coastguard patrol boat the Cavtat, she added: “I was in the water for 10 hours, so these wonderful guys rescued me.” She was then taken to hospital in an ambulance. The rescue vessel’s captain, Lovro Oreskovic, said she was found on Sunday (19th August) “exhausted”, adding: “We were extremely happy for saving a human life.” Croatian Ministry of Maritime Affairs spokesman David Radas said rescuers were able to work out the exact moment Ms Longstaff fell in the water by checking the cruise ship’s CCTV. “Because they knew the time, they were able to know the exact position of the ship.” A statement from Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed that a guest had gone overboard while the ship was on its way from Vargarola to Venice. It said: “We are pleased to advise that the guest was found alive, is currently in stable condition, and has been taken
ashore in Croatia for further treatment. “We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family.” The Foreign Office confirmed it had been notified of the incident. Experts have said that there were several lucky factors in this case which helped the survivor, including the warm sea. The water temperature would have been about 28-29ºC which is a little bit warmer than a swimming pool. A person can survive for around one hour in 5ºC water, two hours in 10ºC and six hours in 15ºC - but if the temperature is in the high 20s then it is possible to survive for around 25 hours. According to the experts the best way to slow down the rate at which your body cools is to avoid swimming and instead try to float in the water with your knees raised up to your chest. The “flat, calm conditions” meant Ms Longstaff - was able to float, swim and stay pretty much where she fell in.
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