57-Year-Old Cruise Passenger Dies in Tragic Crash While in Alaskan Port

A cruise ship passenger from Indiana has died after a car struck several pedestrians and plunged into Ketchikan Creek in Alaska.  The crash occurred on a busy tourist day in the city’s downtown area.

Tragedy and Heroism

Around 8:40 a.m. on Thursday, September 4, a vehicle accelerated from a parking space in the Centennial Parking Lot.  It struck a 57-year-old woman from Auburn, Indiana, before crashing through a fence and coming to a stop in Ketchikan Creek.

The woman and her husband were cruise passengers visiting the popular Alaskan port.

The crash happened at a high-traffic area, with more than 15,000 cruise ship passengers in town that day.

The ships in port on Thursday included Norwegian Bliss, ms Eurodam, Royal Princess, Sapphire Princess, and ms Koningsdam.

According to news reports, while officials and first responders quickly arrived, a local resident, Dylan Self, became a hero even in the middle of the chaos. 

Seeing the car submerged and filling with water, Self jumped in and used a rock to break the driver’s window. He managed to pull the driver out and began performing CPR.  Video footage shows Self jumping into the water to rescue the driver.

Self was later treated for a deep cut on his arm. A second cruise passenger also jumped in to help with the rescue.

Investigation Underway

The woman from Indiana was taken to the hospital in critical condition but was later pronounced dead.   She was a pedestrian on the sidewalk at the time of the crash. Two others, including the driver and another bystander, were also hospitalized with injuries. The driver is in critical condition.

By the afternoon, crews had removed the vehicle from the creek.  The area around the damaged Creek Street boardwalk remains closed to the public as officials work to ensure it is safe.

Authorities are still investigating what caused the car to suddenly accelerate.