- Cruises offer passengers the opportunity to relax and recover while traveling the world
- But there are inherent risks to being on a boat in the middle of the ocean.
- Their advice comes after it was revealed that Parker jumped off a ship this week.
Cruises offer passengers the opportunity to relax and recuperate while traveling the world, but there are inherent risks to being on a floating ship in the middle of the ocean.
On average, 19 passengers fall into the water each year and only four of them are successfully rescued, according to a study. industry study starting in 2020.
So how can you increase your chances of survival if you ever find yourself in a similar situation?
Utah expert Cat Bingey has stepped in to reveal the best course of action to take if you ever fall overboard on vacation, after it was revealed that 20-year-old Levion Parker had jumped to his death from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship during a drunken argument with his father.
Utah-based expert Cat Bingey has weighed in to reveal the best course of action to take if you ever fall overboard while on vacation.
It comes after it was revealed that Levion Parker, 20, from Florida, had jumped to his death from a cruise ship.
Levion reportedly jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise ship during a drunken argument with his father.
Cat, who has consulted for Bear Grylls and National Geographic, previously spoke with Business Insider on how to act in such an extreme situation.
He said those who overdo it will likely have to battle a host of factors from the start, including injuries from the fall, rough waters, hypothermia and even predators.
But the survival expert He began by explaining that the first step was to not panic and explained that this is actually “the biggest thing that will kill you.”
“When people enter a body of water, they usually damage their lungs immediately because they gasp,” Cat told the outlet.
“We have a panic instinct when breathing and when people do it, it brings water into their lungs.”
The expert then urged people to find anything that floats, such as pieces of driftwood and floating debris, to help stay above the water’s surface.
It would be impossible to constantly tread water until a rescue party arrives, and instead, periodic bursts, floating, and swimming will be your best option.
“Even a small floating device will help, something you can wear with your arms around it or with your neck on it to relieve some stress if you’re not a strong swimmer or have difficulty staying afloat.” she said.
On average, 19 passengers fall into the water each year and only four of them are successfully rescued, according to a 2020 industry study (file image)
Cat, who has consulted for Bear Grylls and National Geographic, previously spoke to Business Insider about how to act in such an extreme situation.
Cat confirmed that the best case scenario is to collect enough to create a makeshift raft and get almost completely out of the water.
On the other hand, the expert insisted that it was more important to focus on food than water, as she explained: “Our bodies are perfectly evolutionarily adapted to have this ability to fast for a long period of time.”
Cat revealed that anyone who has fallen overboard will be able to go a couple of days without rations thanks to reserves stored in their fat and liver.
Dehydration is more worrying since you also “don’t want to drink salt water.”
He advised taking steps to conserve the water reserves already in your system, including protecting yourself from the sun, either by using debris or your own clothing to cover your head.
Cat’s last point was that creating some kind of distress signal will improve your chances of being found.
He concluded candidly: “In the end, it’s a pretty grim situation, but people have survived. And sometimes people just die.