Viking Sky position, adrift off Norway Coast and evacuating Passengers & Crew

[TrumpyNor]

Just now, heakja said:

According to local news, there will be a safe hotel room for all the evacuated people this night. Some may go to Ålesund, though, as Molde is filled to capasity.

And also to Kristiansund, as far as I have understood. 

[voyageur9]

 

 

 

viking sky anchored offshore at nightfall. screengrab

Edited March 23, 2019 by voyageur9
image duplicated

[AL3XCruise]

31 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

Yes, we are taught the vessel is the best lifeboat in many situations. However, with a shallow draft, high freeboard vessel about 1 mile off a lee-shore in 38 kts winds, I would be doing exactly the same as the Viking Sky's Master. 

I'm not experts on ships, but I assume the Master is concerned about a situation arising that would require the immediate evacuation of the ship by means that wouldn't be as safe as helicopters?  I would imagine that is a decision they would not take lightly, especially since helicopter evacuations have their own hazards.  That isn't saying such an emergency is imminent, but it means in the Master's opinion the risk his great enough to justify his current course of action.

[TrumpyNor]

4 minutes ago, steamboats said:

 

Actually the evacuation was ordered when the ship was adrift with no power and a high risk go run aground on one of the reefs or the near shoreline.

 

Not until later one engine has been restored. So they have limited power.

 

steamboats

 Yes, they have limited power (like I actually wrote in my previous post) - BUT the weather is VERY bad. And now (a couple of minutes ago) there has been received another may-day from one of the ships that were on their way to assist Viking Sky, because of the bad conditions at sea there.  

Edited March 23, 2019 by TrumpyNor

[myersburg]

Haeworth.  My in-laws Don and Dona Dei are on this ship.  Have you seen them?

[steamboats]

1 minute ago, TrumpyNor said:

 And now (a couple of minutes ago) there has been received another may-day from one of the ships that were on their way to assist Viking Sky.  

 

I think it´s the freight ship Hagland Captain which is in distress with 9 people onboard. You can see this on the live stream. The freight ship was not supposed to assisst. The offshore vessels (Ocean Art, Edda Fauna, Siem Symphony and Troms Arcturus) are the ones to assisst.

 

steamboats

[TrumpyNor]

Just now, steamboats said:

 

I think it´s the freight ship Hagland Captain which is in distress with 9 people onboard. You can see this on the live stream. The freight ship was not supposed to assisst. The offshore vessels (Ocean Art, Edda Fauna, Siem Symphony and Troms Arcturus) are the ones to assisst.

 

steamboats

ALL ships in the area are coming to assistance.....

[AL3XCruise]

22 minutes ago, AAAAmerican said:

Is it propelled by those IMHO, horrible brerakdown Azi Pods? Why not go back to a Triple Screw now?

 

I can't be sure, but I doubt that is the issue.  Not only are modern azipods far more reliable than older models, they are largely independent of each other.  Viking sky appears to have the Promas system, which is an integrated steering system but not a traditional "pod design"

 

Someone with ship handling experience can correct me, but I believe even in rough conditions one propulsion unit would be able to maintain control of the ship.  Two are required for high speed cruise, but a single unit is fairly capable on its own.

 

Regardless of the cause, I hope for a swift resolution that enables the safest outcome for the passengers and crew!

Edited March 23, 2019 by AL3XCruise
Correction

[heakja]

5 minutes ago, steamboats said:

 

I think it´s the freight ship Hagland Captain which is in distress with 9 people onboard. You can see this on the live stream. The freight ship was not supposed to assisst. The offshore vessels (Ocean Art, Edda Fauna, Siem Symphony and Troms Arcturus) are the ones to assisst.

 

steamboats

That is now verified. Norwegian rescue services are now considering evacuating them too, and are using 1 of the cruise helicopters to reach the ship.

Edited March 23, 2019 by heakja

[Captain_Morgan]

none of the viking ships have 'pods'....they're all fitted with fixed pitch propellers

[Magnelasagne]

Another mayday from a cargo ship in the same area right now. 9 people on board the cargo ship

[Clay Clayton]

TrumpyNor

is there an English language news service in Norway that might be covering this?  Watching the live coverage and would be great if my Norwegian was such that I could understand the newscasters but.....

[voyageur9]

TrumpyNor, ... thanks for the measured and timely updates.

 

[Presto2]

2 minutes ago, heakja said:

That is now verified.

 

Just seen the live stream. Words fail

Prayers for the safety of everyone tonight

[steamboats]

1 minute ago, Clay Clayton said:

is there an English language news service in Norway that might be covering this?  Watching the live coverage and would be great if my Norwegian was such that I could understand the newscasters but.....

 

I fear there isn´t any English language news service. At least I can understand some single words (as I´m German).

 

steamboats

[Krazy Kruizers]

Prayers that all passengers and crew will be safely evacuated safely.

[Magnelasagne]

https://norwaytoday.info/news/evacuated-cruise-passengers/

 

not live coverage, but some news in english about Viking Sky

[Dekksguten]

Oslo based newspaper aftenposten (aftenposten.no) often offer English language coverage of events with potential international readership. There's nothing yet afaict, but I would not be surprised to find it there soon.

Reports are that the rescue is delayed by passengers being afraid of the evacuation process (which is understandable, I suppose).

Edited March 23, 2019 by Dekksguten

[auldlassie]

There is a video on twitter of people at their muster station, wearing lifejackets,  keeping their feet up out of water swirling around them about half way up their chair legs. Video claims to be from the Sky. Can anyone reading validate this video? it looks very scary if genuine.

 

Hope everyone on board will be evacuated safely and extremely sorry for everyone having to go through this. 

[steamboats]

2 minutes ago, auldlassie said:

There is a video on twitter of people at their muster station, wearing lifejackets,  keeping their feet up out of water swirling around them about half way up their chair legs. Video claims to be from the Sky. Can anyone reading validate this video? it looks very scary if genuine.

 

See this report in post 23 by a passenger onboard.

 

steamboats

[Presto2]

8 minutes ago, auldlassie said:

There is a video on twitter of people at their muster station, wearing lifejackets,  keeping their feet up out of water swirling around them about half way up their chair legs. Video claims to be from the Sky. Can anyone reading validate this video? it looks very scary if genuine.

 

Hope everyone on board will be evacuated safely and extremely sorry for everyone having to go through this. 

 

Am guessing that sometimes people post things that may be sensationalist. Not saying it is, but would no be surprised --- I can not imagine that they are in muster stations knee deep in water ……… they are 7 decks up I imagine. Doesn't help people with family on there though. Some people are idiots posting rubbish (i.e. on Twitter) --- shame on them.

Edited March 23, 2019 by Presto2

[AL3XCruise]

6 minutes ago, Captain_Morgan said:

none of the viking ships have 'pods'....they're all fitted with fixed pitch propellers

 

You are correct... the source I read mistakenly described the Promas system as a pod; I think they made an assumption because it is described as "combined propulsion and steering".  Its more of a  a traditional system with a large hydrodynamic fairing built into the hull and an integrated rudder.  Corrected that using info from some other sources.

 

Regardless, I don't think it two independent failures would result in this issue, but stranger things have happened.

[Palmetto Pilot]

I was in a NATO military flight school class. My stick buddy was then a Norwegian captain, his squadron is currently flying rescue efforts for the ship. Thoughts got out to the aircrew flying these missions. It's not an easy task. 

[Heidi13]

9 minutes ago, AL3XCruise said:

I'm not experts on ships, but I assume the Master is concerned about a situation arising that would require the immediate evacuation of the ship by means that wouldn't be as safe as helicopters?  I would imagine that is a decision they would not take lightly, especially since helicopter evacuations have their own hazards.  That isn't saying such an emergency is imminent, but it means in the Master's opinion the risk his great enough to justify his current course of action.

Totally correct. The Master will have received reports from the Chief Engineer regarding the status of the propulsion plant and conducted a risk analysis.

 

Based on the information being received from the media, the ship does not appear to be in imminent danger of sinking/foundering. However, the Master will be cognisant that if propulsion is again lost and the anchor doesn't hold, the ship will quickly be on the rocks. Passenger vessels with shallow draft and high superstructures are very susceptible to wind and even if a mile offshore, it would be aground very quickly.

 

That scenario would require an emergency evacuation  by the survival craft (lifeboats/liferafts). Launching survival craft has dangers, which would be increased in these conditions. Even when launched it would be very uncomfortable, especially in the rafts. Only ever been in a raft in a swimming pool and it was rather uncomfortable. I have inflated and launched them at sea (no crew) and they are rather lively.

 

Therefore, the Master will have assessed that an orderly evacuation by helo ops is the best and safest option for his/her passengers. If the situation stabilises prior to completing the evacuation, the Captain may then decide to cancel the evacuation and head to port. At present, watching the tracking website they are slow steaming just off-shore.

[Dekksguten]

For those interested, your best bet for weather updates would be here