Enchantment rescue!

Enchantment rescues sick crew member aboard a sail boat participating in the Newport/Bermuda race!

We left Bermuda on Sunday evening on our way to Boston for a Tuesday arrival. We departed at 4 PM. Evidently around 3 AM Monday morning Enchantment was asked to take a very sick crew member from one of the boats participating in the Newport/Bermuda race. The Enchantment had to altar slightly off course but was able to lower a rescue basket to the sail boat and pull the sick crew members aboard. He is reported to be recovered.

Since this took place at 3 AM hardly anyone saw it. I did hear the captain announce it the following morning but due to the noise level around me during his announcement I could hardly hear what he said. I thought a sick passenger had been removed from the ship in the middle of the night. Anyway I mentioned it to someone I was talking to in the Crown Viking that night and they actually saw the entire thing. She and her daughter were on their balcony talking and she said all of a sudden she saw a small boat cut right across the bow of the Enchantment. At first she thought she was imagining it but then it popped out again and somone was on deck all dressed in red. Anyway they managed to lower the basket and the crew on the sail boat got the sick person in the basket and up it went to the deck of the Enchantment and off to sick bay he went.

wow -cool story! thanks for sharing! glad to hear that the sick person has recovered!

Here is a link to the news story that was on the local news in Boston tonight.

http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/boston-south/Local-sailor-rescued-by-passing-cruise-ship/-/9848842/15170164/-/d5pcoc/-/index.html

This is the first report I've seen of the incident that made it clear that it was not a solo sailor ... although I guess that would be fairly unusual. Makes much more sense now!

Theron

It's not the first time a Royal Caribbean ship has rescued sailors in the Bermuda - Newport race.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/ourCompany/pressCenter/pressReleases/info.do?prCode=B&prDate=06-23-2003

The Nordic Empress' rescue in 2002 was more dramatic since the boat was capsized and they just happened upon it.

With such rough seas, I'm surprised our ship didn't rescue more sickly sailors! Glad he was okay. I heard the announcement that morning and wondered how hard it was to get him safely onboard with the crazy waves.

Interesting. Norwegian Star also rescued some people in a small boat sailing to Bermuda last week.