A PASSENGER has had a lucky escape aboard Oceanic Discoverer (under charter to US-based Lindblad Expeditions). On 07 Nov, the American citizen went for a swim off Crown Island, near Madang, and was bitten on the leg by a crocodile. After several attempts to obtain details from the company and...
A PASSENGER has had a lucky escape aboard
Oceanic Discoverer (under charter to US-based
Lindblad Expeditions).
On 07 Nov, the American citizen went for a
swim off Crown Island, near Madang, and was
bitten on the leg by a crocodile.
After several attempts to obtain details from
the company and the ship’s operator, Coral
Princess Cruises, CW contributor Rod Eime
received an email this week from Lindblad’s
public relations representative.
“We made a landing with our guests on a pristine
beach not known to inhabit crocodiles, and a
complete departure from their normal environment
of mangroves and muddy rivers,” the email said.
“As a normal caution, guests were directed to
swim in a certain protected area with the group,
but one guest disregarded the naturalist’s
directions and went off on his own for an
exercise swim.
“Staff members repeatedly tried to get him to
return to the shore, and when their yells from
the beach were ignored they radioed to the
ship to send out a Zodiac to bring him back.
“The ship immediately dispatched a boat but
by time it reached our guest he had been
attacked by the crocodile and suffered non-life
threatening wounds.”
The man was immediately treated by several
doctors onboard and then taken to hospital.
“He is home in the US and doing fine,” the PR
rep said.
The incident comes after Kimberley operator,
North Star Cruises, saw crewmember Tara
Hawkes attacked north of Broome in Apr.
Hawkes survived thanks to quick action by
fellow crew and passengers and the cruise line
was subsequently cleared by a WorkSafe inquiry.
