Child Drowns in Pool on Norwegian Breakaway

Norwegian Cruise Line said a child drowned in a pool on the Norwegian Breakaway while a second one was transported by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter to a hospital in Morehead City, N.C.

The tragic situation immediately reignited the debate over whether cruise ships should have lifeguards on their ships, although many people say parents are obligated to watch their children in swimming pools. Some news reports said the boy who died was four years old and the hospitalized youth was his six-year-old brother.

Norwegian posted this statement on its Facebook page last night: “On Norwegian Breakaway this morning (Feb. 3), our emergency medical team was called and notified that two small children were unresponsive on the pool deck.

The team responded immediately and quickly administered CPR to both children. The older child was then airlifted by the U.S. Coast Guard to the closest medical facility, accompanied by his grandmother and a nurse from the ship.

After extensive efforts, the younger child could not be revived. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family during this extremely difficult time and are providing full assistance and support. The family is in our thoughts and prayers and we ask that you please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as well.”

The announcement drew more than 2,200 comments on Norwegian’s Facebook page.

“WHEN are they going to spend a few bucks on lifeguards? As a former employee in another cruise line’s risk management office, it seems that would be cheaper than lawsuits and public relations damage,” one post read.

More comments, however, wondered where the responsible adults were.

“How about this ... my prayers go out to the Norwegian employees who had to deal with this, or the other responsible vacationers who had to see it. The people bringing the kids on the boat (parents, grandparents) are responsible for watching them, not lifeguards! If you want to lose track of your kids, there’s plenty of other options. Don’t bring them. Pay for a babysitter to go with you. You can even drop them off at the babysitting services. People need to stop blaming things on others and take responsibility.”

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) addressed the issue in October after a child drowned on a Carnival Cruise Lines ship.

“As with many land-based hotels and resorts with swimming pools, cruise ships provide conspicuous signage to alert passengers that a lifeguard is not on duty,” CLIA said in its statement to the media. “In the event of an incident, ocean-going cruise ships have experienced physicians and nurses that are able to provide emergency medical treatment and care for passengers as needed. CLIA works with its members on an ongoing basis to help identify and redress safety concerns aboard cruise ships, and its members will consider any specific concerns or recommendations once an investigation is completed.”