The Galapagos National Park reports that a 74 year old woman
died after tripping and falling on the boardwalk at the Cerro
Colorado Semi-natural Tortoise Breeding Centre on San Cristobal
island yesterday. Jane White from the USA was on a cruise on
the La Pinta ship. While visiting the tortoise centre, she
decided to join a group of three other visitors who were headed off
to the restrooms. She appears to have tripped and
knocked her head against the boardwalk as she fell. She was
pronounced dead at the hospital in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, 24
kilometres away.
No place is risk free, and Galapagos is perhaps a bit riskier
than your typical cruise experience. Not only does a cruise
include several short hikes on what can be uneven trails, but you
may also find yourself quite far away from professional medical
attention. Anyone considering a Galapagos visit should take
that into consideration and be willing to accept these
risks. Of course, the trails are not "death defying" -
thousands of visitors walk over them every year, many well
into their 70's and often into their 80's (CNH Tours has no doubts
that sprightly folks in their 90's also frequent them).
But accidents may happen. We are sad to hear of
this accident.
