She Spent 10 Hours Treading Water After Fall from Cruise Ship, Singing Kept Her Alive
A little fun in the sun is harmless, and time away at sea is a great chance to refresh and recharge. Cruises offer vacationers a way to escape, relax, and explore all at once.
But a recent cruise passenger did not have quite the enjoyable experience one might expect while aboard a ship sailing from Venice.
Kay Longstaff was a passenger aboard the Norwegian Star as it sailed from Venice to a port in Vargarola.
According to The Star, the 46-year-old air hostess from Cheltenham claimed to have fallen from the back of the ship around midnight on Saturday.
But other sources report that Longstaff did not fall, but instead jumped ship following an argument with her boyfriend who was on the cruise with her.
The Sun reports that the matter is being investigated, and that security footage confirmed Longstaff was alone when she went overboard.
“The boyfriend said they had been drinking and they had quarreled,” a source told The Sun. “He went back to his cabin and left her.”
Still, Miss Longstaff claims she fell. “I fell off the back of the Norwegian Star and I was in the water for about 10 hours,” she shared after her rescue. “These wonderful guys rescued me.”
Whether she jumped of her own volition or fell due to intoxication has not been confirmed. However she ended up in the water, Longstaff credits two things for her survival.
Although she was in the water for 10 hours, Longstaff was able to keep her spirits up through song and by constantly swimming thanks to the strength she’s built up through yoga.
“It is a real miracle that she is alive,” Lovro Oreskovic, the ship’s captain, said.”I am very lucky to be alive,” Longstaff told reporters for HRT, a Croatian news station.
ABC News also reported that Longstaff has had some emergency training due to working as a flight attendant.
Oreskovic explained that Longstaff sang to keep herself awake and afloat. Since her rescue Sunday morning, she’s been taken to a hospital and is said to be doing well.
Thankfully, this time of year the water in the Adriatic Sea is pretty warm, staying at a comfortable temperature of around 75 degrees.
Her positivity during those 10 hours is certainly inspiring. Hopefully she makes a full recovery, and no matter how she fell, she’ll no doubt practice more caution in the future.
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