Oasis of the sea accident
Multiple news agencies are reporting that a 4 year old child has been critically injured while on board the Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas cruise ship. The boy was “swept under” the cruise ship’s wave pool which is located on the 15th deck of the cruise ship. The boy was observed under water by another cruise ship passenger who alerted a swimmer in the pool who helped pull the boy out of the water.
The Oasis of the Seas had only departed Port Everglades approximately one hour earlier on a 7 day cruise from Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean Islands. The ship’s medical personnel began emergency “life support” measures which restored the child’s pulse, along with performing “hypothermia resuscitation” designed to aid a person whose body temperature has dropped dangerously.
The Cruise ship turned around after learning of the accident and headed back to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. The boy and his family, who are from Italy, were met by Port Everglades fire personnel who immediately transported the young boy to Broward General Health Center’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
Once the cruise ship returned to Port Everglades, the accident investigation began with detectives from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office boarding the ship. Depending on what detectives find, the cruise ship and/or on-board personnel could be subject to charges. Royal Caribbean may also be subject to a civil claim for injuries, which by the terms of its ticket contract, is required to be filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Miami within one year from the date of the accident.
It is unknown at this time whether the Oasis of the Seas had sufficient safety personnel on board such as lifeguards around the pool. The cruise ship is outfitted with numerous on-board surveillance cameras, particularly around the exterior portions of the ship to aid with security. It is likely the Sheriff’s detectives will secure all on-board security camera videotape in order to determine how the accident occurred.