Passenger Dies Boarding Cunard's Queen Elizabeth

Photo courtesy of Cunard

A passenger on Cunard Line's Queen Elizabeth cruise ship died following an accident that occurred while attempting to board the ship from a tender in Cambodia, according to Teresa Machan of the Telegraph.

Tenders are small boats typically used to transport cruise passengers from the ship to the shore during times when the vessel is anchored at sea. 

The female passenger has not been identified, however, Cunard did issue a statement confirming the tragedy. 

"We can confirm that a passenger died earlier today following an accident whilst boarding Queen Elizabeth from a tender," said the company in an official statement. "Two of our crew members reacted very quickly and jumped in to rescue her. She was then taken to the medical centre but despite our very best efforts, she died."

"Our customer care team will be offering every support including to those passengers who witnessed the incident," the statement read. "Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends."

At the time of the accident, the luxury ship was in the port city of Sihanoukville in Cambodia in Southeast Asia.

The Queen Elizabeth is in the midst of a 112-night world voyage that set sail from Southampton, England back on Jan. 10. The cruise is scheduled to continue with the Queen Elizabeth bound for Singapore. 

Launched in 2010, the Queen Elizabeth is the Carnival Corporation & plc subsidiary's newest luxury liner, and can carry more than 2,000 passengers. 

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