Kathryn Sheppard-Irwin
Event Date: April 6, 2006
Cruise Bruise: Death
Bruise Location: Penang, Maylasia
Age: 20
Home Town: Victoria
Cruise Line: P & O Cruise Lines
Ship: Pacific Sky
Details:
A Victorian woman was killed in a jet ski accident while holidaying on the liner Pacific Sky off Malaysia. Kathryn Sheppard-Irwin, 20, suffered fatal internal injuries on Thursday when a power-ski she was riding at a very high rate of speed with Carlos Perez Gonzales, 29, a Mexican cruise-ship worker collided with the power-ski of two other Australians, Natasha Sage and Rachel Patricia Di Mieri, both 20.
Mr Gonzales remains in a critical condition, while Ms Sage and Ms Di Mieri sustained only light injuries. Kathryn died from internal injuries caused by the collision. Mr Gonzales, a tour guide on the trip, sustained serious head injuries and is in a critical condition in Gleneagles Medical Centre in Penang.
A group of passengers went to Pantai Teluk Duyong (Monkey Beach), about five kilometres east of Batu Ferringi. They hired power-skis from a man called Lin Lian Soon, an unlicensed operator, said Chief Inspector Perdajaran of Penang Police.
A spokesman for the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Teresa Gambaro, says two other Australians suffered broken bones and back injuries when two jet-skis collided off the coast near Panang.
A spokesman for P&O says the two women who suffered minor injuries are on their way back to Australia. Another woman who witnessed the incident, was treated for shock.
P&O said a crew member injured in the accident, who was believed to be riding pillion with Ms Sheppard-Irwin, remained in a serious condition in a Malaysian hospital. He is believed to have serious head injuries.
A statement from P&O Cruises Australia said the accident happened at a beach near Penang, during Pacific Sky's scheduled stopover at the port as part of a seven-night cruise from Singapore.
It was "not unusual" for a tour leader to take part in activities with other guests, but power-skiing was not part of the official tours organised by P&O Cruises, a spokesman for the company.
P&O said the two women passengers, who are Australian, suffered minor injuries, while the crew member remained in a serious condition in a Malaysian hospital.
The spokesman said the two women who suffered minor injuries were on their way back to Australia.
The Pacific Sky will dock for the last time in regional waters on May 6, 2006 before its new owners, the Spanish company Pullmantur Cruises, renames it the Sky Wonder and moves it to Europe.
Kathryn Sheppard - Irwin
Death On Shore Excursion
P & O Pacific Sky - April 6, 2006
