A new investigation into a 2023 cruise ship incident has criticized the medical response after an elderly passenger suffered a fatal injury during a storm at sea.
The report from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch examined the incident aboard the Spirit of Discovery operated by Saga Cruises.
Investigators say an 85-year-old passenger, Trevor Gilks, suffered a severe spinal injury after falling as the ship rolled violently in a storm off northern Spain.
The vessel had lost propulsion and was being battered by winds of about 70 miles per hour with 30-foot seas, leaving more than 100 passengers injured.
The report found delays in recognizing the seriousness of the spinal injury and said the passenger received suboptimal treatment on board.
According to investigators, a key diagnostic X-ray was not performed, and the patient was not placed on a spinal board. Over the next two days, he became paralyzed.
A doctor later recommended a medical evacuation, but the captain declined due to weather conditions. The ship eventually docked in Portsmouth, England.
Saga Cruises said it disagrees with several findings in the report but has since taken steps to strengthen safety procedures.
