Pensioner attempts to swim to
cruise ship before being rescued

Susan Brown, aged 65, tried to swim to a cruise ship that had left the port of Madeira. Mrs Brown had an argument with her husband and decided that she did not wish to continue their cruise holiday. The cruise docked in Madeira at 8am and was due to leave at 8pm the same evening. Mrs Brown did not return to the ship, instead making her way to the airport, where she planned to travel to Bristol and leave her husband on the cruise.

After some time, she changed her mind and decided that she wanted to go back on the cruise. Seeing that the cruise had already left the port, she threw herself into the water and began swimming towards the vessel. She remained in the water for four hours having travelled 500m out to sea before local fisherman heard her cries for help and pulled her on board. She is currently recovering in hospital in Madeira, suffering from hypothermia. Her husband has returned to Madeira to be with her whilst she recovers.