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Caribbean Princess Pax Killed in Tortola Excursion

MrPete

By MrPete,
in Princess Cruises

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pg.

pg.

Posted
Posted

This is so sad,, and such a tragedy,, it reminds me of when I was in Hawaii,, about 3 years ago ,, and a family was on one of those Catamaran excurusions that run off Waikiki Beach. The mast of the ship broke in a strong wind and crash and killed a teen boy( I think he was only 14) with his family all sitting right around him at the time.

 

Freak accidents can happen anywhere and people are right,, we never expect them on holiday especially.

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jean s

jean s

Posted
Posted

We have travelled to Tortola and I am always amazed at the steepness of the roads and the multiple hairpin turns. My thoughts and prayers go to the family of the young man who lost his life. How tragic to lose a child.

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Murrah Miss

Murrah Miss

Posted
Posted

My heart is absolutely broken for this family. I can NOT imagine the anguish that the parents are feeling at this moment. Hopefully, someone at some point in time can tell them that so many are feeling their sorrow and sending their thoughts and prayers.

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Shifra

Shifra

Posted
Posted

What a terrible accident. My heart goes out to his parents and all the injured pax. I remember the roads in tortola, I was nervous the whole time driving around the blind curves on the narrow roads and very close to the edge. I just can't imagine making that drive every day.

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woodofpine

woodofpine

Posted
Posted

Tragedy for the survivors of the deceased, but as a person that often goes without travel insurance...

 

The report says there were two 'seriously' injured also. A brief poke at Google shows that the low populace BVI has no major hospital - only a facility referred to by all sources as a 'small general hospital'. As a matter of resource comparison, BVI has no hyperbaric chamber to treat diving accidents, that - as well as a larger hospital - being on St. Thomas.

 

I can only imagine the difficulties and expense facing the families of the seriously injured. Sort of a wake up call...

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Katie333

Katie333

Posted
Posted

THis is just awful. I was on this cruise and in this port touring a few weeks ago. So many islands have very steep roads and less than perfect road conditions, and while we're touring we typically just kind of nervously laugh it off. Very scary stuff, this will make me think twice about the types of tours we take and in what sort of vehicle.

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Shogun

Shogun

Posted
Posted

Hi All,

 

Having been lucky enough to have travelled to many of the islands many times, I have seen a few accidents all but one has involved local people,most where vehicles going over the edge of narrow twisting roads, the last one dropping many yards through the jungle, before coming to rest up side down, many times I was concerned, about the road condition, its width, the lack of safety fencing, or the lack of maintenance, I recall one jeep where the back door was closed with a bit of rope, and we could see the road through the holes in the floor.

 

However we understand that standards are different and the level of risk we are prepared to accept, I wonder how many of us if given the same vehicle or the same road conditions in the US or in the EU would just accept it.

 

yours Shogun

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FritzG

FritzG

Posted
Posted
We are on board and the mood is somber here on board. How tragic this is for all involved. There has been a lot of activity with the Captain and other ship's Officers meeting the family on shore and escorting many of the injured on board as well.

 

The Captain announced the tragic news earlier and stated more details will follow. Many are in the Medical Center with cuts, scraps / abrasions, etc. We had left the ship in a closed taxi / van and after the trip up and over the mountain to get to Brewer's Bay, we had commented about the hairpin turns and that our driver had done a great job. Shortly after we got to the beach we heard all sorts of sirens. The passengers were in an open-air type of bus that is used so commonly here in the islands. We were told by our taxi driver on our return that the vehicle involved in the crash had lost it's brakes. Of course that could be speculation right now.

 

We are due to depart at 6:00 PM but I am not expecting that we will leave on time. Everyone is understanding of course. Some local authorities have been here....and I can only assume it is to meet with the others involved in the accident.

 

My thoughts are with all suffering from the loss of their son and also with those suffering injuries today. :( :(

 

Thank you for taking the time to post this. Our prayers are with you and everyone involved.

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janetz

janetz

Posted
Posted

So very sad. The last time we were in Tortola we took one of those open taxi's to the beach, traveling over the mountain. Coming back I started to smell something funny and voiced my concern. Sure enough, the brakes were going. We were heading back down the hill. The driver pulled the bus over and we all had to wait for other drivers to come and get us. :(

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Sauvignon

Sauvignon

Posted
Posted
Hi All,

However we understand that standards are different and the level of risk we are prepared to accept, I wonder how many of us if given the same vehicle or the same road conditions in the US or in the EU would just accept it.

 

yours Shogun

 

 

You raise a very valid point, but I think that sadly for the majority of the time many people simply do not understand that standards are different. (hence my earlier post about vulnerability when travelling to unfamiliar places... not a criticism merely a fact)

 

Much is said on these boards about how well travelled and how much experience certain correspondents have. I am afraid that crusing simply provides a false sense of security in this respect.

 

It is unfortunate that this thread is here in the first place but if nothing else it provides a huge chunk of reality.

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jagsfan

jagsfan

Posted
Posted

First, my condolences to the family of the young man that lost his life. Such a sad result

for a day started out so happily. I hope it happened so quickly he didn't know.

Shogun made a point (if I understood it). I have ridden in open jitneys, tuk-tuks, tiny

airplanes landing on mud and grass, and taxis and old limos overfilled with passengers.

Oh, and a hot air balloon. Would I do it at home? No. Too dangerous.

For some reason we, or most of us, suspend common sense when we're traveling.

I've been lucky to have taken risks in my travels with no consequences. Here at home

in Florida, I worry about riding in a nice car with a friend driving!

Mimi

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