A British woman has told she reporters she is “very lucky to be alive” after falling off the back of a cruise ship into the Adriatic Sea.
The Norwegian Cruise Line ship was almost 100 kilometres off the coast of Croatia when the 46-year-old fell overboard around midnight on Saturday.
The woman, who has been named as Kay Longstaff, was rescued 10 hours later and taken to hospital in the town of Pula, reports the BBC.
After stepping off the coastguard patrol boat that rescued her, Longstaff told reporters, “I was in the water for 10 hours, so these wonderful guys rescued me.”
The coastguard captain, Lovero Oreskovic, said Longstaff was “exhausted” when they found her, adding, “We were extremely happy for saving a human life.”
The Norwegian Cruise Line released a statement saying, “We are pleased to advise that the guest was found alive, is currently in a stable condition, and has been taken ashore in Croatia for further treatment.”
“We are very happy that the individual, who is a UK resident, is now safe and will soon be reunited with friends and family,” the statement continued.