Woman, 73, who had been taken ill spends eight minutes in water after transfer by Norwegian rescue services

A British tourist fell into the North Sea in subzero conditions as she was being carried on a stretcher off a cruise ship.

Janet Richardson, 73, from Penrith in Cumbria, was on the Ocean Countess, which had left Hull at the end of March for a coastal tour of Norway including viewings of the northern lights. Her 78-year-old husband, George, was with her.

When she fell seriously ill, the ship's captain decided she should immediately be taken to hospital in Norway.

However, while the rescue teams were moving her on a stretcher to a rescue boat, she fell into the sea – which was about -3C at the time. It then took almost eight minutes to retrieve her from the water.

She was eventually transported to hospital in Bodø, Norway, accompanied by her husband, who remained by her bedside for several days before she was airlifted to Cumberland infirmary in Carlisle, where she is receiving treatment.

Fellow passenger Colin Prescott, from Burscough, Lancashire, saw the rescue attempt with his wife Sheila.

He said: "The vessels, which had not been latched together, suddenly moved apart by several feet just as they were transferring her, which caused the rescue crews to drop the stretcher into the sea.

"We had been told the sea was about minus three that day. The rescue boat came back round to pick her up and she was taken to hospital, but she was in the water for about eight minutes."

A spokesman for Cruise & Maritime Voyages, which operates the service, said: "The lady was very seriously ill and the captain and the ship's doctor decided that she needed to disembark as a matter of emergency because the ship was not due to dock at its next calling point until the following day.

"Under these circumstances a rescue was launched and, although the ship is equipped with a helipad, the Norwegian rescue crews decided to launch a sea rescue. Unfortunately, during this rescue the lady did fall into the sea, but she was then taken to hospital and treated.

"Although we do not own this ship, we have been in contact with the ship's owners and the Norwegian rescue authorities and a full investigation is taking place."

The spokesman said the company took the safety and comfort of its passengers very seriously and although the logistics of the rescue were in the hands of the Norwegian rescue team, Cruise & Maritime Voyages would assist the investigation.

Shirley Bottelfsen, who helps out at the Norwegian hospital where Mrs Richardson was treated, said: "It was a terrible experience for her, for her husband and the other passengers. Everyone in Bodø feels very sorry for them. Luckily Janet had a lifebelt on which saved her life.

"She was fully aware of what happened. Naturally, from the cold water she became weaker. Janet improved every day she was with us, but it will take some time to be completely recovered.

"No one as yet knows if there will be any reaction from her time in the sea, but they are doing full investigations on everything.

"It has been a great strain on George – he sat at his wife's bedside on the intensive care unit most of the day."

• This article was amended on 21 April 2011. The original referred to the cruise ship Ocean Princess. This has been corrected.