Cruise passenger died from severe injury during storm at sea, report says

An elderly cruise passenger died after sustaining a spinal injury and receiving "suboptimal treatment" aboard a ship in Europe, a report concluded. 

Trevor Gilks, 85, was injured on Saga Cruises' Spirit of Discovery in November 2023 while the vessel was off the coast of Spain. He died four days later from his spinal injury. 

The Marine Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) released a detailed report about the weather incident experienced by the Spirit of Discovery, which led to over 100 injuries and one death. 

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According to the report, Gilks toppled backwards out of a chair during an intense swell that rocked the ship around 10° to 13° on Nov. 4, 2023. 

The ship's captain had decided to enter the Bay of Biscay despite the severe weather warnings. The vessel pitched heavily and rolled violently in the storm, ultimately losing propulsion for around 18 hours. 

There were 943 passengers on the ship at the time of the weather-related incident. The youngest guest was 50 years old, while the oldest was 96 years old.

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At the time, the main impact seemed to be confined to Gilks' neck. Still, he was examined by a nurse from the ship's medical team, who wrote that he reported "severe pain in his upper back, radiating to his shoulders and back of his neck" in her notes. 

Later that evening, he was taken to the medical center, unable to go unassisted to his cabin's bathroom. The report claims that his "head was noticeably forward, with his chin almost on his chest...[and had] difficulty breathing."

Gilks was fitted for a neck collar and admitted to the medical facility. An X-ray of his neck was also taken and emailed to a shore-based radiologist, who could not determine whether his cervical spine was damaged, as no lateral views had been provided. No additional X-rays were taken. 

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Two days later, after reporting that he had lost feeling in his legs, the doctor wanted to have Gilks medically evacuated from the ship.  

"Given the weather conditions, and having discussed with the doctor the risks of helicopter transfer in high seas, the captain decided that it would be better for passenger 1 to remain on board Spirit of Discovery until the vessel berthed in Portsmouth that evening," the report continues. 

Upon the ship's arrival in England, Gilks and seven other passengers who were also injured during the storm were transported to a hospital for further medical treatment. 

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Unfortunately, Gilks succumbed to his spinal injury on Nov. 8, 2023, with his interim death certificate citing the cause of death as "complete cervical spine injury."

In the end, the MAIB concluded the delay in identifying Gilks' severe spinal injury "...led to him receiving suboptimal treatment that may have affected the severity of his injury." 

Additionally, the ship's crew didn't consider the revised weather routing guidance that strongly advised against traveling across the Bay of Biscay. Similarly, the voyage planning process didn't assess the ship's motions and their potential effects on elderly guests. 

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"Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Mr Gilks and all the guests and crew affected by this incident, and we are sorry for the distress they suffered. While we accept the MAIB's recommendations, we disagree with some of their conclusions and feel the synopsis does not accurately reflect the report," said a spokesperson for Saga Cruises, as reported by the BBC. 

"Safety is our number one priority and, whilst the weather is beyond our control, we always follow industry guidelines and best practice. Following the incident, we promptly took all necessary actions to enhance our policies and procedures, work recognised by the MAIB in this report."

Saga Cruises is a small cruise line that caters exclusively to older passengers

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Saga's ocean cruises are marketed for guests aged 50 and above who are seeking a more intimate experience. The all-inclusive pricing means the fares are higher than what you might find on a Royal Caribbean, Carnival, or MSC cruise, but they include perks such as premium wines, specialty dining, excursions, Wi-Fi, and gratuities. 

Today, the boutique ocean cruise line operates just two ships: Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure. Both measure around 58,000 gross tons and have a passenger capacity of 987. 

Spirit of Discovery entered service in 2019, followed by Spirit of Adventure in 2020. The former was the first new-build for Saga Cruises.