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Published 10:44 24 Jul 2026 GMT
A Louisiana woman who was left needing medical attention after a rope swinging excursion has shared photos of the incident for the first time.
Kirsten Lindsey was enjoying a day out while the Carnival Cruise ship she was on had docked in Honduras, and she decided to take part in an outdoor activity.
She decided to try rope swinging, which involves holding onto a rope while swinging over a body of water, before letting go and jumping in.
However, when Kirsten went, her boyfriend Blake told WFLA that "the line suddenly tightened between Kirsten’s legs just before she dropped."
While they believed that it was nothing more than "a scratch" at first, the situation worsened for Kirsten as the hours passed by.
She realized that she had sustained a "catastrophic" genital injury, which threw a spanner into her vacation plans.
Following Carnival Cruises' claim that the activity was neither sponsored nor recommended by them, Kirsten launched a GoFundMe after spending tens of thousands of dollars on treatment.
Kirsten spoke about her genital trauma and how it only happened on the third day of her cruise trip.
Writing on the GoFundMe, Blake recalled: "What was supposed to be Kirsten’s first cruise turned into the worst experience of our lives.
"Kirsten was seriously injured during a rope swing excursion. Based on what we witnessed, a retrieval/tag line appears to have been improperly connected to the swing.
"As she swung out, the line tightened between her legs just before she dropped, causing a catastrophic injury."
He went on: "Within hours, everything changed, the swelling became severe, the pain became unbearable, and she eventually needed a wheelchair just to get back to our cabin."
The couple had to pay $4,000 after over 12 hours in the ship's medical center, where she received treatment.
They were given options on what to do next, turning down the possibility of spending the rest of the cruise in the ship's medical facility or going to a hospital in Mexico.
The pair wanted to arrange an emergency air evacuation, setting them back around $20,000, with it then costing an additional $30,000 to get back to the US, as Blake explained: "We chose the air evacuation because we believed it was the best way to get Kirsten the care she needed."
As her condition worsened, Kirsten was left with "grapefruit-sized lady bits."
Taking to Facebook on Thursday (July 23), she warned against donating to fake fundraisers made in her boyfriend's name.
She explained: "We have one GoFundMe account and that is it,
"Please be aware and don’t let people scam you trying to profit from my injuries. I can’t believe I’m even having to get on here to say this."
Kirsten underwent surgery for the injury and received treatment at CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center in Louisiana.
Blake added: "They were completely shocked she was even discharged from the last hospital so early but now thank god we’re home and with OUR doctors and not the ones Carnival sent us to!
"Everyone that’s seen the injury has never seen anything like it, but they are doing everything they can to prevent permanent damage to her… grapefruit sized lady bits."
Following the incident, a spokesperson from Carnival Cruise Line has provided a statement.
They said: "We are aware of reports regarding a guest who was injured while independently exploring Honduras.
"After returning to the ship, the guest was promptly cared for by our onboard medical team, which provided treatment and facilitated access to additional medical resources.
"While the incident did not occur on a Carnival-sponsored excursion, we remain concerned for the guest's recovery. The safety and well-being of our guests is always our top priority," they concluded.
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Published 09:22 23 Jul 2026 GMT
A woman was left needing multiple surgeries after an emergency evacuation, following a day out during a cruise.
Kirsten Lindsey was on a Carnival Cruise when it docked in Honduras, and she decided to go on an excursion involving rope swinging.
Unfortunately for the Louisiana woman, the adventurous activity would leave her in the hospital with genital trauma.
The risk is always there with outlandish activities such as this one, but many wouldn't have expected this one to become as severe as it has.
Kirsten was only on the third day of her first cruise when she suffered a "catastrophic saddle injury" after swinging on a rope.
Together with her boyfriend Blake, the couple needed to fork out tens of thousands of dollars to receive the specialist medical treatment required, as per WFLA.
Blake recalled that the retrieval line was improperly connected to the rope, becoming caught between Kirsten's legs as she swung over the water.
He recalled: "The line suddenly tightened between Kirsten’s legs just before she dropped."
While it first appeared as nothing more than a scratch, it swelled up to the size of a baseball within hours, causing immense amounts of pain.
Kirsten would spend over 12 hours in the ship's medical center receiving treatment, which set the couple back around $4,000 before they could leave.
To get her back to the US for further treatment, they would need to spend even more money, after deciding not to spend the rest of the cruise in the ship's medical facility or going to a hospital in Mexico.
The couple chose to pay for an emergency air evacuation, which set them back around $20,000 simply to leave Costa Maya.
It would then cost $30,000 to get back to the US, as Blake explained: "We chose the air evacuation because we believed it was the best way to get Kirsten the care she needed."
After hours of delays, the couple ended up at HCA Florida Aventura Hospital, where Kirsten had her first of at least two surgeries.
Genital trauma is scary, and it is a risk with activities such as rope swinging, despite how innocent and fun it can look from the outside.
Following the incident, a spokesperson from Carnival Cruise Line has provided a statement to the publication.
They said: "We are aware of reports regarding a guest who was injured while independently exploring Honduras.
"After returning to the ship, the guest was promptly cared for by our onboard medical team, which provided treatment and facilitated access to additional medical resources.
"While the incident did not occur on a Carnival-sponsored excursion, we remain concerned for the guest's recovery. The safety and well-being of our guests is always our top priority," they concluded.
Published 15:54 07 Jun 2026 GMT
A recent high school graduate is now taking legal action against a cruise handler after she lost both her legs in a freak accident during an excursion on holiday in the Bahamas.
Hannah Smith, now 23, was on a celebratory post-graduation trip with her childhood friend last year when she was sucked beneath a catamaran and struck by the propeller, suffering injuries so horrendous that both her legs had to be amputated.
According to the lawsuit the Memphis native has filed against Carnival Cruise Line and the excursion operators, she lost 60% of her blood in the accident that could have killed her.
It has been alleged by Smith’s attorneys that the young woman was lured and coerced into accepting "complimentary" alcohol and marijuana while on the excursion before they boarded the ferry back to Nassau.
The lawsuit also claims that the catamaran ferry was improperly docked and unsecured, and crew members were inadequately trained.
According to Smith, the incident occurred when a crew member recommended that she enter the water to urinate while the boat was docked.
Brooklyn Pitre, Smith’s friend who witnessed the life-changing accident, said she heard Smith enter the water, then watched her submerge before resurfacing around three seconds later.
Describing the moment to local Memphis outlet WREG, Pitre said: "She was like, get me. And me and another woman had met on the cruise ship during the excursion with us.
"We pulled her out, and then there was like a lot of blood in the water."
The sporty student underwent two surgeries in the Bahamas shortly after the incident in May 2025. She was later flown back to the US for further reconstructive procedures.
However, it is not just the physical impact of losing her legs that will stay with Smith. The attorneys representing her are seeking a jury trial as she has suffered physical pain, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, disability, disfigurement, and PTSD as a result of her injuries.
The founding partner of Brais Law Firm, Keith S. Brais, said in a statement: “Our client, Hannah Smith, was a bright, accomplished young woman celebrating a tremendous academic milestone when she suffered these horrific injuries.
“We are fully committed to pursuing justice on her behalf and holding accountable those responsible for the sequence of unsafe decisions that resulted in this life-altering tragedy.”
Reportedly, Carnival Cruise Line is trying to dismiss the case, arguing that it does not own the tour companies that were involved in the excursion where the incident occurred.
Published 16:40 12 Jul 2024 GMT
Published 18:16 18 May 2021 GMT
A dancer is inspiring others with her Q&A sessions on TikTok after losing her hand in a boating accident.
Twenty-three-year-old Kristie Sita had her hand ripped off in a tragic boating accident at the age of 16 back in 2014.
According to New York Post, Kristie had been celebrating graduating from high school a few days earlier and had been swimming out on Ruby Lake on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia.
However, Kirstie was forced to have the limb amputated when a rope attached to an inflatable wrapped around her wrist and severed her hand when she suddenly jerked backward.
Recalling the frightening incident in one of her TikTok videos, Kirstie said: "My initial reaction was to reach out to grab the rope.
"The next thing I remember, I was in the water surrounded by blood. I raised my left hand to say: ‘come get me’, and I didn’t have a left hand. At that point, I went into survival mode."
After losing consciousness, she was airlifted to British Columbia’s Children’s Hospital for emergency surgery. Her severed hand was found floating in the lake the next day, but it was too late to reattach it.
But despite losing the use of a limb, Kirstie was determined not to let her disability affect her dream, and has now found success for herself as a professional dancer.
Opening up about the experience, she said: "Knowing that I was a dancer and an athlete, doctors decided to leave me as an amputee as they knew they could save so much more of my arm doing that.
"My arm was sewn together by wrapping my palm around the wound. My ligaments and muscles were torn around my shoulder. They moved some of my muscles down so that my arm could be fully weight-bearing."
Kirstie has since become a TikTok star, as her profile currently has over 535,000 followers thanks to her dance videos and educational Q&A sessions where she answers questions about living with a disability.
She previously spoke about how she cuts food, ties her trousers, and drives one-handed.
In another video, she spoke about how she doesn't want to use a prosthetic, telling her followers: "I don't want a prosthetic [...] I don't want a hand. And I know it might sound a little crazy, so just let me tell you why.
"Since my accident, I’ve been super confident in who I am. I know it’s not the cutest or the prettiest thing in the world, but this is who I am and I find that the more I cover it up, the more I’m going to be insecure about it."
Kristie's fans love her posts and regularly comment on her videos to praise her positivity.
In one clip, one fan wrote: "Well you're a bad***! I would have passed out and drowned I'm sure of it!"
Meanwhile, another person wrote: "You seem such a positive person, such good energy, you look great."
A third added: "You are awesome! Thanks for sharing!"
While a fourth wrote: "I'm amazed with your determination and your upbeat attitude through all of this ordeal. You go girl!"
Another added: "You are [truly] an amazing woman and a real inspiration to us all. Thanks for sharing."
Published 10:02 02 May 2026 GMT
Tragic new details have emerged about the final moments of a young woman who died after falling from a Carnival cruise ship off the California coast earlier this week.
The 24-year-old, who has been identified as Briana Miller, reportedly fell to her death from the balcony of her stateroom on board the Carnival Firenze on Monday morning (April 27).
According to a source close to the case who spoke to The California Post, Miller had been arguing with her family in the moments before she fell.
The FBI is said to be still investigating the incident.
The Carnival Firenze had set sail from Long Beach on Sunday and was bound for Mexico when the incident occurred.
The ship can carry up to 4,126 guests and 1,425 crew members, and is around 1,061 feet long.
The source told The California Post that Miller jumped from her stateroom balcony before hitting the deck below.
A private investigator named Kelly Duhs, who happened to be on board the ship at the time, told the outlet that members of the ship's staff said the victim had been fighting with her family before her death.
"It's horrible," she said.
According to a law enforcement officer, Miller's body was transported off the ship on Monday and her family left the same day.
Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed the death and says it's supporting the family.
Spokesperson Julie Leonardi told reporters that the victim had been travelling with her family, and that they were the ones who alerted the ship's crew to what had happened.
"As is customary following these kinds of incidents, law enforcement was on board while the ship was in Catalina Island on Monday to collect information," Leonardi said.
She added that the cruise line's 'Care Team' was with the family in the aftermath.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones," she said.
The FBI confirmed it had boarded the Carnival Firenze when it docked in Catalina Island on Monday.
"The FBI responded to the ship when it docked in Catalina Island on Monday and is investigating an incident on board which resulted in death," FBI spokesperson Lourdes Arocho told The California Post.
"More specific details are not being provided at this time as the investigation is ongoing."
Miller's death is the second cruise-related death involving Carnival to make headlines in recent months.
Last November, 18-year-old Anna Kepner was found dead beneath a bed in her cabin on the Carnival Horizon.
Her death was later ruled as mechanical asphyxia, and her 16-year-old stepbrother was charged with homicide in connection with her death in February 2026.
If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available 24/7. In the US, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the UK, you can call Samaritans on 116 123.
