There is a strict procedure: what happens when someone dies on a cruise ship

Cruise travel is usually associated with relaxation and carefree travel, but even there an emergency can occur, such as the death of a passenger. Although it is a rare accident, the crew follows strict protocols in such situations.

In particular, special terminology is used: Operation Bright Star means emergency medical care, and Operation Rising Star indicates the death of a passenger. Cruise ships are even equipped with morgues to store bodies until the ship reaches the port, according to The Independent.

How often do deaths occur on cruises?

According to a study by the International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health, 623 deaths were recorded between 2000 and 2019. Most of them were due to heart attacks, accidents, or suicides. Passengers accounted for 89% of the deaths, while crew members accounted for 11%. Despite these figures, given the 30 million cruisers annually, fatalities remain rare.

What does the crew do after a passenger dies on board?

Every cruise ship has medical staff and emergency equipment. In the event of a death, the doctor examines the body, the crew notifies the family, and the incident is recorded in the ship's logbook. In suspicious cases, investigations are conducted both on board and in the nearest port.

The vessel's location determines which authorities will be notified of the incident. For example, ships calling in the United States are required to report such cases to American law enforcement.

If the body cannot be transferred to the nearest port, it remains on the ship until the next appropriate point. Most often, cruise ship morgues are located on the lower decks and can hold 3-6 bodies. The body is usually "dropped off" early in the morning to avoid inconvenience to other passengers.

Cruise lines are not responsible for the costs of transportation of the body and paperwork. These costs are borne by relatives or an insurance company. Therefore, it is important to have travel insurance that covers such cases.

The free ice cream myth

A myth is common among social media users stating that the ship's crew organizes "ice cream parties" if they need an extra freezer to store bodies. However, there is no evidence of this. Bloggers and experts refute this information, emphasizing that morgues on ships usually have sufficient capacity for such situations.

Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.