Grandmother dropped into Arctic seas in botched rescue dies (VIDEO)

A 73-year-old grandmother who was dropped by rescuers into freezing Arctic waters during botched transfer from a cruise ship has died, British media reported.

Janet Richardson died Saturday at Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, England, where she had been fighting for her life after rescuers dropped her as they attempted to transfer her from the Ocean Countess to a lifeboat, The Daily Mail reported.

Richardson had taken ill as the Ocean Countess cruised along the coast of Norway last month, reporting dizzy spells, and after examination by the ship's doctor the captain had ordered her ashore for treatment.

Another passenger on the ship, Colin Prescott, said both the ship and the lifeboat "were steaming at 10 knots" when paramedics tried to move her on a stretcher, The Sun newspaper reported.

"The vessels, which hadn't been latched together, suddenly moved apart by several feet as they were transferring her, which caused the rescue crews to drop the stretcher into the sea," Prescott said.

Richardson's 78-year-old husband, George, reportedly looked on in horror. He was by her side at the time of her death.

"Six men were holding the stretcher, but it went down and then Janet slipped into the sea. She was conscious throughout," he told The Sun.

The ocean temperature was 26.6 degrees Fahrenheit and rescuers took eight minutes to retrieve Richardson. She spent a week in intensive care in Norway before she was transferred to the Cumberland Infirmary late last week. 

George, a retired farmer who shares eight grandchildren with his wife, told the Sun: "Janet had always wanted to go on a cruise to the Norwegian Fjords so she could see the Northern Lights."

Among extensive comments made in an interview with the Sun last week, before his wife's death, he said:

"The authorities over there say health and safety is paramount — but if they'd wanted to be totally safe they could have gone into port or held the lifeboat to the ship with a rope or something. They were reluctant to go into port because they were already running late and it would have meant extra expense and further delays. I hope lessons will be learned." 

Norwegian police have reportedly launched an investigation to determine what went wrong, while the Norwegian Sea Rescue had also started its own probe.

Hans Skaar, head of the rescue department at Norwegian Sea Rescue, said the coast guard said a report will likely be released in the next couple of weeks.

"We are very sorry for the loss of the family, and our thoughts went to the family when we heard about this tragic outcome," Skaar said, The AP reported.

Below is a promotional video for Norwegian Sea Rescue, which according to spokesman Ernst Larsen safely transfers people between ships in Norway every day.