Cruise passenger dies on Arctic excursion

A cruise passenger has died after being thrown into the sea from a rubber inflatable boat during an excursion in Arctic Norway.

The woman, an American in her 60s, was enjoying an excursion from the 120-passenger Sea Spirit, operated by Quark Expeditions, when the incident occurred on Monday, reports Travel Mole.

There were 12 passengers on the Zodiac vessel who were all thrown into the freezing water and swept ashore after being hit by a wave just outside the settlement of Longyearbyen in Svalbard, Norway, reports the Daily Telegraph.

According to the Mirror, a rescue helicopter with a doctor on board was sent out from Spitsbergen, but the woman died before it reached the boat.

Two other passengers were treated for minor injuries. The paper adds that the exact cause of the woman's death is not yet clear.

The Sea Spirit is continuing with its 10-night Spitsbergen Explorer cruise, which is carrying five British holidaymakers, and finished on 25 June.

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