P&O Artemis - Another cruise tourist dies in Antigua

**Ally** · 03-25-2008, 04:04 AM

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The Antigua & Barbuda Cruise Tourism Association (A&BCTA) has reported yet another death of a passenger bringing the number to three in a matter of four weeks.

The association's President Nathan Dundas reported that Mary Darwin of Manchester England passed away at the Adelin Medical Centre on Sunday afternoon.

Darwin arrived in Antigua aboard the Artemis cruise ship of the P&O Carnival UK Ltd Cruise Line on Thursday which docked at the Heritage Quay Pier.

According to Dundas, Darwin became ill on the cruise line while it was on its way to Antigua. Upon its arrival, the tourist was rushed to Adelin Medical Centre by ambulance. The doctors reportedly did all they could to save Darwin’s life but she succumbed to her illness at around 2 p.m.She was travelling with her husband Peter Darwin.

Her daughter arrived in Antigua on Saturday after learning about her mother’s health condition.

The family is currently being assisted by Dundas, who is also the local cruise line agent.

Dundas is presently working with the Barnes Funeral Home to make arrangements to have the body of Darwin flown home as soon as possible.

He expressed his sincerest condolences to the surviving family and said the sector would love to see tourists arrive in Antigua and Barbuda and leave alive and well but, these are occurrences that more often than not they have no control over. “The tourists’ interests and well being always come first,” Dundas told Antigua Sun.

A few weeks ago, 60-year-old Edward Kopf Jr of Chicago, Illinois who arrived in Antigua on one of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines vessels, Radiance of the Seas died after experiencing acute symptoms of some unknown disorder, including vomiting.

In February, another American tourist, 75-year-old James “Joseph” Kilgallon of Sarasota, Florida drowned while snorkelling at Turner’s Beach located in the southern side of the island. He too had arrived aboard a cruise vessel, the Norwegian Pearl and was travelling with his wife Josephine “Jo” Kilgallon and a pair of their long-time friends.

An autopsy into the drowning death revealed that the man had one totally blocked and one partially blocked carotid artery.

No foul play has been suspected in either incident.

Antigua Sun