Christopher Chapel’s condition was marked critical, even though it was a minor case of heatstroke.
A man was left heart-broken after the cruise ship he had been on left without him while he was undergoing medical tests in the Philippines. Seventy-two-year-old Christopher Chapel from the UK had spent 17,500 pounds (Rs 17.83 lakh) for round-the-world trip that started earlier this year. But halfway through the trip, he started feeling nausea and visited the ship’s doctor to get himself checked. The doctor recommended Mr Chapel to get himself checked thoroughly saying he would not be allowed on board.
So, he got off the cruise ship on the island of Palawan in the Philippines on March 4 for a check-up. Fortunately, it turned out to be a mild case of heatstroke. However, in a stroke of bad luck, the ship left by the time Mr Chapel’s tests were done.
Mr Chapel and his niece contacted the cruise organisers and travel insurers, who said his condition was marked critical, making his return difficult.
The 72-year-old was also deemed unfit to fly to Manila, so he had to undertake the trip to the Philippines capital by boat. He was finally allowed to board a flight and reached his home in the UK on April 7.
“The doctors who brought me home were lovely, I could not fault them, though they weren’t sure why there were required because they just gave me Diazepam to calm my nerves and there wasn’t anything else wrong with me,” he told LadBible.
“It seems like a comical cock-up. The person who sent me away from the ship didn’t even examine me and must have known that the hospital tests would have taken longer than the ship would be at the port. If there is a critical medical situation, as P&O keep saying, why haven’t I been told more about it or shown their medical report?” Chapel said.
He is now waiting for his luggage and the company said it will cover the cost of returning it.
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