Britannia turned back to Southampton

[Josy1953]

Husband was just looking on Marine Traffic to see where Aurora and Oceana were as we have friends on them at the moment both heading to Southampton.  He noticed that Britannia was between them also heading for Southampton but only going at 1.6 kts and due in 30th October, she only left Southampton yesterday headed for the Caribbean.  Does anyone know why she has turned back?  I think that her speed indicates a problem.

[jeanlyon]

Interesting, if you click on the ship, you will see she is "constrained by her draught" which usually means they are in a shallow channel and cannot deviate.  Interesting.  She is now doing 15.2 knots on a course of 021 degrees.  Before that she was heading 240 degrees at 17 knots, the opposite direction!

 

" Vessel constrained by her draught. A power-driven vessel which, because of her draught in relation to the available depth and width of the navigable water, is severely restricted in her ability to deviate from the course she is following, "

 

Usually it says "Vessel is underway using engine"

Edited October 27, 2018 by jeanlyon

[jeanlyon]

and she is now doing 1.5 knots again.  Something must be very wrong.

[daiB]

It may be a Medical evac.

[Josy1953]

17 minutes ago, daiB said:

It may be a Medical evac.

That was my first thought when OH pointed it out to me but when I clicked on the ship it says that it is headed to Southampton estimated to arrive 30th October 8:00

[daiB]

Looks more like a glitch.

[daiB]

She has now returned to normal course

 

[jeanlyon]

Not according to AIS Marine Traffic 3 minutes ago.  Still headed for Southampton

 

On Vesselfinder, she was last logged 6 hours ago heading the other way.

 

they could do a helivac from where she is.

Edited October 27, 2018 by jeanlyon

[jenny wren]

Interestingly Oriana returned to Southampton to disembark a poorly passenger when she was just off Bembridge the other night......so perhaps the helicopter evacuations are getting a bit pricey!!!

[Josy1953]

24 minutes ago, jenny wren said:

Interestingly Oriana returned to Southampton to disembark a poorly passenger when she was just off Bembridge the other night......so perhaps the helicopter evacuations are getting a bit pricey!!!

I wouldn't think that the cost is a consideration since the passenger's insurance should pick that up or the passenger if they are under-insured. Where Britannia currently is I would expect them to go into a French port to offload a sick passenger since that would be far quicker than 3 days to Southampton.  We have been on several cruises where the ship has diverted into unscheduled ports for a medical emergency.

She is still heading back to Southampton, now going at 14 kts.

Edited October 27, 2018 by Josy1953

[jeanlyon]

Yes, but there is something very odd.  I have been looking at her every so often.  Sometimes she is doing 1.4 knots and sometimes 13 or 14.  Oceana was parallel to her, but is now way ahead.  And I don't understand why it says "constrained by her draught" because that is deep water and she can go where she likes.

[BrianI]

Something strange with AIS. If you look at the past track, there is no evidence that the ship has turned around.

b

Brian

[jeanlyon]

Yes Brian, beginning to wonder if the AIS is up the creek.  wish I was up at my Coastguard lookout, I could see her on Radar.

[jeanlyon]

The only other odd thing is that the Lat/Long is changing to the north, so she would seem to be going that way.  Also, if her AIS is not working, the Coastguard should tell them so.  That is if they have noticed it.

Edited October 27, 2018 by jeanlyon

[Mysticalmother]

Ais was up the creek the other day, showing Oceana heading east in the Med, whereas she was actually heading west to Gibraltar...

[Threeleggedtoad]

According to cruise mapper looks as though still heading to Funchal

 

https://www.cruisemapper.com/?imo=9614036 

[terrierjohn]

The strange things is marine traffic shows her ahead of Navigator ots despite leaving Southampton an hour later. I suspect that MT is showing incorrect data.

[jeanlyon]

Cruisemapper doesn't give her speed or the time that this was taken.  I suspect her AIS is up the creek.  Still don't understand why she says "constrained by her draught"

 

Last position for Navigator OTS was 9 hours ago, so that's garbage as well.

Edited October 27, 2018 by jeanlyon

[daiB]

37 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Cruisemapper doesn't give her speed or the time that this was taken.  I suspect her AIS is up the creek.  Still don't understand why she says "constrained by her draught"

 

Last position for Navigator OTS was 9 hours ago, so that's garbage as well.

See my post 6.

 

its a computer it goes wrong.

 

Just had another look the track has her turning round 5 times. As if she is checking behind her.

 

Edited October 27, 2018 by daiB

[CarlaMarie]

A friend of mine works onboard, and I spoke to him earlier (I spotted the same as what you all had on marine traffic). They have rough weather since the morning but that is all, no other problems at the moment. 

[Josy1953]

Good to know that there is no real problem.  It Is obviously a glitch with AIS.

[jocap]

5 hours ago, jenny wren said:

Interestingly Oriana returned to Southampton to disembark a poorly passenger when she was just off Bembridge the other night......so perhaps the helicopter evacuations are getting a bit pricey!!!

...and at the same time, Ventura had to return to La Rochelle for a medivac- she was at the end of her cruise, and Oriana was at the beginning. I hope the ill passengers are recovering.

I've seen the  "constrained by draught" come up on AIS before, when all was well, but I have seen Britannia looking as though she was in the Scilly Isles, doing constant flits between islands! I think there must be a passenger ship called Britannia working from there, and MT gets mixed up!

[jeanlyon]

Ha ha, just checked it again, it's now off the north coast of Spain doing 17.2 knots, now says "underway using engine" but still facing the wrong way.  Don't you love computers!

[daiB]

2 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Ha ha, just checked it again, it's now off the north coast of Spain doing 17.2 knots, now says "underway using engine" but still facing the wrong way.  Don't you love computers!

 

However she did turn into the wind this morning for a medi evac. This has been confirmed on another forum by someone on board.

[CarlaMarie]

Yes at 4am this morning they had a medi evac.