6 days ago
Cruise passenger blown into water, injured after ship detaches from pier during strong winds in Sicily
Man overboard!
A passenger aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship was knocked over by strong winds and plummeted into the water after the vessel pulled away from the pier.
3 A passenger aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line fell overboard after the ship pulled away from the pier during high winds.
Brian Koning
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The person was disembarking while the Norwegian Epic ship docked in Catania, Sicily, last Friday, according to a cruise line spokesperson.
'On duty crew members were able to immediately assist the guest from the water and see that they were evaluated by the medical team. It was determined that they sustained minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital for further examination and treatment,' Norwegian Cruise Line wrote in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
3 The cruise line assured that the passenger only sustained minor injuries.
Brian Koning
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At the time, wind gusts in the area were as high as 45 miles per hour, according to AccuWeather.
After the passenger's ill-fated fall, the ship ceased all disembarking and waited until the weather improved to resume docking again, according to the spokesperson.
Cruise line mishaps are a dime a dozen, especially during the summer season as eager families seek adventure the minute schools lets out.
3 Norwegian Cruise Line has a nasty habit for accidentally leaving behind passengers.
SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
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Last April, one ship with a Norwegian Cruise Line-sponsored tour abandoned an 80-year-old passenger in Africa after she suffered a stroke during an excursion.
Another pair of elderly castaways were left stranded by the cruise line in Spain last May when the ship left without them.
In July, a family of nine was accidentally left behind in Alaska after crews miscounted during their check to ensure all the passengers had returned before departing.
