Cruise ship passenger dropped in arctic ocean dies

(Telegraph): Janet Richardson, the British grandmother who was dropped into the Arctic Ocean off Norway while being transferred from a cruise ship to another vessel, has died. Mrs Richardson, 73, from near Penrith, Cumbria, was taken ill on the Ocean Countess and fell into the sea while being stretchered onto a rescue vessel. She spent almost eight minutes in the near-freezing Arctic Ocean before being rescued and taken to hospital in Norway. She was later flown to Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, but died there on Thursday evening. Mrs Richardson, who had diabetes, left Hull on March 20, on a voyage to Norway to see the Northern Lights with her husband George, a retired farmer.

Mr Richardson, 78, said: “Unfortunately Janet died peacefully on Thursday night in the Cumberland infirmary with her family and friends around her. “We are devastated by her loss, but it brings me some comfort to know that we were with her at the end.

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