Passenger Dies on the Norwegian Breakaway

When the Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship docked in Bermuda on Wednesday morning, 6 May, the passengers were not allowed to leave at the normal time. The ship had arrived at its usual time of 7.30 a.m. and the passengers usually start disembarking at Heritage Wharf in Dockyard at around 8.00 a.m. However, this week passengers were not allowed to leave.

First Responders arrived at around 9.40 a.m. and boarded the ship and passengers started to disembark shortly after 10 a.m. when a crew member then confirmed that there had been a medical issue. By 11 a.m. a hearse from the Bulley-Graham-Rawlins Funeral Home arrived and the passengers were informed that there had been a death on board.  The body was then taken off the ship and taken away by the hearse.

The Bermudan Department of Health official confirmed the death and also said that four passengers had been taken ill. The incidents do not appear to be related.  She said that following notification of the death by the cruise line they had boarded to assess the situation and once they realized there was no cause for concern, they allowed passengers to disembark. She went on to say that with 5,200 people in total on board the number reported sick was well within normal levels.

There was considerable confusion among passengers as to why there was a delay with some thinking it was due to a morning drill and others that there was a clearance issue. On board also were members of the Society of Colonial Wars who were scheduled to attend a welcome at City Hall at 10 a.m. before their festivities began.

The Norwegian Breakaway is one of the largest cruise ships in the world being 1,068ft in length and having 1,994 staterooms. Maximum capacity is 3,988 passengers. 

If you have been seriously injured onboard a cruise ship, or your loved one was killed during a cruise, please call 855-375-3727 to speak with an experienced Miami cruise ship attorney at the Hickey Law Firm, P.A., today. We represent injured cruise ship victims in Florida and around the world.