Breaking: independence of the seas diverts due to medial emergency

Just heard from my mum that independence of the seas is diverting to the azures due to an on board medical emergency.

It's not know what the nature of the emergency is but our thoughts must be with who ever has taken ill at this time.

Its not expected the diversion will result in late arrival in Southampton according to the captain.

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Really unfortunate when it happens on a transatlantic crossing, as even the Azores may be a long way away. Hopefully they'll make it fast enough for that poor passenger to get the medical attention needed swiftly.

Doesn't Indy have a helicopter pad? But if they are close enough to the Azores...would not be needed

then I guess.

We have been on several cruises that were diverted due to medical emergencies. Some required we

subbed, or skipped a port of call even. Sad for those poor passengers to have that happen away from home.

Doesn't Indy have a helicopter pad? But if they are close enough to the Azores...would not be needed

then I guess.

 

We have been on several cruises that were diverted due to medical emergencies. Some required we

subbed, or skipped a port of call even. Sad for those poor passengers to have that happen away from home.

Yes, Indy has a helicopter pad, but landing a helicopter on the ship is a dangerous operation in and of itself and they will avoid that if at all possible.

Yes, Indy has a helicopter pad, but landing a helicopter on the ship is a dangerous operation in and of itself and they will avoid that if at all possible.

Totally agree. Especially out there in the middle of the Atlantic! :eek:

We were docked at Labadee once, and they landed the helicopter for a med emergency on the dock, versus the ship. Even had one at Coco Cay, where they tendered the passenger into the island first, then loaded onto helicopter on the island.

I am assuming the helicopter pad on the ship is indeed for extreme emergencies only. Have never seen one land on a ship yet. Need a pretty good pilot for that I am sure!:o

Any time we have experienced a medical evacuation from a cruise ship, and it has happened at least twice on TAs that we were on, the copter hovered over the ship while a crew member and a gurney were lowered to the deck, the sick passenger placed in the gurney and both the passenger and the copter's crew member were lifted back into the copter which then took the ill passenger to the nearest medical facility. Have never seen a helicopter actually land on the ship's helipad.

Any time we have experienced a medical evacuation from a cruise ship, and it has happened at least twice on TAs that we were on, the copter hovered over the ship while a crew member and a gurney were lowered to the deck, the sick passenger placed in the gurney and both the passenger and the copter's crew member were lifted back into the copter which then took the ill passenger to the nearest medical facility. Have never seen a helicopter actually land on the ship's helipad.

Wow that must have been scary. I know I get upset every time I hear the Alpha, Alpha, Alpha call. To think someone has had a medical emergency while on a cruise is very distressing. Thank God for the top-notch care available on cruise ships now. Hopefully the Indy passenger will be OK.

Wow that must have been scary. I know I get upset every time I hear the Alpha, Alpha, Alpha call. To think someone has had a medical emergency while on a cruise is very distressing. Thank God for the top-notch care available on cruise ships now. Hopefully the Indy passenger will be OK.

I was on the Allure yesterday and as I was walking back to my room from the wind jammer the loud speaker went off saying Alpha Alpha Alpha. She repeated it a couple times and gave a location on the ship. I was wondering what that meant!

Just heard from my mum that independence of the seas is diverting to the azures due to an on board medical emergency.

 

It's not know what the nature of the emergency is but our thoughts must be with who ever has taken ill at this time.

 

Its not expected the diversion will result in late arrival in Southampton according to the captain.

 

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Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Many of us would like to be updated so if you hear from your Mum again, please pass it along, Thanks.

Yes, Indy has a helicopter pad, but landing a helicopter on the ship is a dangerous operation in and of itself and they will avoid that if at all possible.

I understand that it is inherently dangerous, but they use helicopters like taxis for oil platforms. Those thing move as well don't they? And what about SpaceX, they're landing rockets on barges with a landing zone not much bigger. [emoji33]

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I understand that it is inherently dangerous, but they use helicopters like taxis for oil platforms. Those thing move as well don't they? And what about SpaceX, they're landing rockets on barges with a landing zone not much bigger. [emoji33]

Don't know about oil platforms, maybe there's more space there. We need the Chief to explain. Also, there are no humans in the rocket and around the landing pad.

The helipads on these ships are not designed to accommodate the weight on an MH60 Jayhawk the USCG uses for medivac anyway. They are more like ornaments than being functional.

listed empty weight of the MH60T in 14500 lbs.

The helipads on these ships are not designed to accommodate the weight on an MH60 Jayhawk the USCG uses for medivac anyway. They are more like ornaments than being functional.

listed empty weight of the MH60T in 14500 lbs.

What is the weight they are designed to carry? A lot of the Drilling ships are smaller than this ship and can handle a helicopter of this class.

The helipads on these ships are not designed to accommodate the weight on an MH60 Jayhawk the USCG uses for medivac anyway. They are more like ornaments than being functional.

listed empty weight of the MH60T in 14500 lbs.

There was a report within the past 2 or 3 months about a helicopter actually landing on the helipad. Not sure what kind of helicopter it was but it did land for the evac as opposed to using the basket.

Really unfortunate when it happens on a transatlantic crossing, as even the Azores may be a long way away. Hopefully they'll make it fast enough for that poor passenger to get the medical attention needed swiftly.

How do you or those posting know it's a passenger??

There was a report within the past 2 or 3 months about a helicopter actually landing on the helipad. Not sure what kind of helicopter it was but it did land for the evac as opposed to using the basket.

There was one video posted recently, i thought on these boards of a helicopter landing on an RCI ship. Can't find it got the life of me now.

If you look on youtube, there are several showing landing on ships, even this one landing on the Adventure OTS:

So, it can be done if deemed absolutely necessary.....

tnt10

the helicopter in the video is a Bell Jetranger family of copters. i guessing it would weigh in the neighborhood of 4000 lbs.

The max weight the helipad can take is painted on the deck, bit do not recall what it is.

What is the weight they are designed to carry? A lot of the Drilling ships are smaller than this ship and can handle a helicopter of this class.

I talked with someone who worked for a couple of years on/off oil platforms right after graduating from college. More often than not, he was transferred from a ship to the platform using a crane with some sort of large basket thing. He said it was often VERY interesting trying to get from the ship that was moving up and down in the waves into the basket that was stationary. I got the sense that helicopters were the exception.

There was a report within the past 2 or 3 months about a helicopter actually landing on the helipad. Not sure what kind of helicopter it was but it did land for the evac as opposed to using the basket.

Helicopter landing on Harmony's helipad, Jan 9 2017

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=52068166&highlight=helicopter#post52068166

I am on Indy now - there was an Alpha call earlier for a passenger that "slipped" on deck 5 - but I am not aware of any diversion.....will try to find out....

I am on Indy now - there was an Alpha call earlier for a passenger that "slipped" on deck 5 - but I am not aware of any diversion.....will try to find out....

Germanfflyer, enjoy Indy and have some good runs. :)

I talked with someone who worked for a couple of years on/off oil platforms right after graduating from college. More often than not, he was transferred from a ship to the platform using a crane with some sort of large basket thing. He said it was often VERY interesting trying to get from the ship that was moving up and down in the waves into the basket that was stationary. I got the sense that helicopters were the exception.

There is a windmill service company in Norway that has a maintenance ship that has a fantasy that moves with the ocean. Totally level when deployed.

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Helicopter landing on Harmony's helipad, Jan 9 2017

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=52068166&highlight=helicopter#post52068166

 

 

 

Looks like CG to me. I guess they have alternative choices. Some of the cutters that visit PC have small helicopters on the back. Patrick AFB uses Blackhawks for water rescue training.

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We are on Indy at the moment. To confirm around lunch time today during the captains usual daily address we were advised the ship was being diverted to the Azores due to a passenger requiring specialist medical attention.

The anticipated arrival was between 12 and 1am on Tuesday morning and looking at our current position we are around 30 miles from port.

From the map on the TV it doesn't look as though it was much of a route change and the captain advised they expect the arrival in Southampton on schedule. This is probably due to the fact we had been cruising around 17 knots but this afternoon we have been around 22.5.

In addition it's also the second passenger we are aware of to be offloaded for medical reasons as our departure from St Maarten was also delayed for a couple of hours for a passenger who required medical attention.

Helicopter landing on Harmony's helipad, Jan 9 2017

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=52068166&highlight=helicopter#post52068166

 

 

 

That's the one I remember reading about.