Cruise Ship Turns Back After Boy Found Unresponsive In Pool

A Royal Caribbean cruise ship had to turn back towards New Jersey Thursday afternoon after a young boy was found unresponsive in a swimming pool.

The 8-year-old, whose name has not been released, was part of a group from the Netherlands. He was on life support at a hospital in Staten Island, New York, as of late Friday morning, ABC 7 reported. A Royal Caribbean statement to the news station said that the ship’s medical team treated the boy “after an accident” in the ship’s pool, and it was necessary to bring him to shore for further treatment. The cruise line did not immediately return a request for comment from The Huffington Post.

Helicopters met the ship and medevaced the boy to the hospital, according to ABC News.

In March, a Texas man was lost at sea after falling overboard on another Royal Caribbean ship, Navigator of the Seas.

A Royal Caribbean spokesman told the Miami Herald that the cruise line does not have lifeguards at its pools, but has “swim at your own risk” signs and provides lifejackets for children in the pool area. The outlet noted that most cruise ships don’t employ lifeguards at their pools.