Norwegian Gem's Captain Diverts Cruise to Rescue Distressed Sailors

[Turtles06]

I was on this cruise and posted my comments about the amazing rescue on the other thread, not having seen this one.

[NJ Johnny]

Bravo to Captain Svedung and the Gem's excellent crew!!!!

[NJ Johnny]

Bravo to Captain Svedung and the Gem's excellent crew!!!!

[BikerAl]

Congratulations to the Gem crew.

 

Al

[macfin]

Congrats to NCL GEM and to her captian for responding...and saving the lives of 5 while risking the lives of his own crew...hopefully the press will cover this and interview the recued and the rescuers...

 

It was pretty bad here in newport last night , could only imagine how it was in the middle of the north atlantic....GREAT JOB!!!!

[www3traveler]

My partner and I were on this cruise. We just docked a little while ago, barely late, which is amazing considering the six hours lost to the rescue as well as the huge storm we sailed through last night. All credit to the Captain and the amazing crew who successfully conducted the rescue under dangerous conditions involving high winds and huge swells. It was amazing to witness. I am glad the Gem was able to get to that sailboat in time; it was no place to be without power.

 

NCL should be very proud of Capt Svedung and of the brave crew who were lowered into the lifeboat and went off in rough seas to rescue the sailors. The sea conditions made it very difficult to get the lifeboat and all on her back aboard the Gem, but this was finally accomplished. I will post pics later when I am home, and I am sure that others who live closer will do the same even sooner.

 

Again, well done!!

I just saw the video on The Weather Channel and heard what the Captain had to say about the rescue. Job well done guys. You are all in my prayers today.

[njhorseman]

We were also passengers on this cruise. The rescue was carried out in weather conditions so bad that the rescuers lives were at risk every bit as much as the lives of the people being rescued.

 

It was a sight I won't soon forget.

 

Congratulations to the officers and crew of the Gem.

[lgfromdg]

I found this video on-line.

[bob brown]

I found this video on-line.

That is amazing. A hearty well-done to the crew of the NCL Gem!

 

Thanks for posting this link. CC should link it to their coverage of it.....:cool:

[lgfromdg]

I couldn't even spot the life boat at first - the waves were so high. What a frightening experience for everyone involved.

[Turtles06]

It's been a very long day getting home from NY... I've looked quickly through the photos I took during the rescue yesterday, and am posting a few below. (CC limits us to six.) As I looked at my photos, I was amazed all over again at the bravery of the Gem's crew. The conditions were quite dangerous. While you can see the waves and swells in the photos, you can't feel the really strong wind that was blowing and making things even worse.

 

Congratulations again to Captain Svedung and the crew for a job well done!

 

 

A Coast Guard plane circled the Sanctuary until the Gem arrived and all those aboard the sailboat had been rescued. In the high seas, we saw the plane from the Gem long before we could spot the sailboat.

 

 

The Sanctuary adrift

 

 

 

 

 

 

Captain Svedung sent Lifeboat 9 from the starboard side off to rescue those on aboard the Sanctuary; the Coast Guard plane continued to circle overhead.

 

 

With the wind and the seas, it was no easy task for the lifeboat to get alongside the sailboat and rescue those on board.

 

 

With the sailors now on board the lifeboat, the Sanctuary is left behind.

 

 

 

 

It was a rough ride back to the Gem for Lifeboat 9. Given the conditions, it took about an hour for the Gem and the lifeboat to maneuver into a position where the lifeboat could approach the Gem safely and be hoisted back aboard. When Lifeboat 9 was finally secured to the Gem, cheers erupted all over the ship.

 

It was amazing to have witnessed this. Thank goodness for the successful rescue.

 

 

(photos by Turtles06)

[www3traveler]

What amazing pictures. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for posting the pictures.

[boeckli]

I just saw the video on The Weather Channel and heard what the Captain had to say about the rescue. Job well done guys. You are all in my prayers today.

 

Could you please provide a link to that? :)

TIA

 

It's been a very long day getting home from NY... I've looked quickly through the photos I took during the rescue yesterday, and am posting a few below. (CC limits us to six.) As I looked at my photos, I was amazed all over again at the bravery of the Gem's crew. The conditions were quite dangerous. While you can see the waves and swells in the photos, you can't feel the really strong wind that was blowing and making things even worse.

 

Congratulations again to Captain Svedung and the crew for a job well done!

 

Thank you, Turtle06 for posting those photos! Awesome job by the Gem's crew (led by the nicest captain around) :D

[Shining Clem]

Thank you Turtles06 for the great photo preview. I'll bet those people on the Sanctuary were so thankful to see that Coast Guard plane and then the Gem.

 

This is what the crews drill for; something like this brings home how important these practice sessions are. With all the sophisticated, helpful equipment aboard the modern ships and sail boats, sometimes it comes down to skills seafarers have been using for centuries, where experience counts. Those life boat crew members and captain are entitled to their "halo headaches" for sure!

 

Do hope there were no complaints about reaching NYC a bit late. This rescue probably cost NCL quite a bit of extra fuel, so head pats all around.

[cv322]

WTG Gem crew! Good job! The video is awesome.

[www3traveler]

Could you please provide a link to that? :)

TIA

 

 

 

Thank you, Turtle06 for posting those photos! Awesome job by the Gem's crew (led by the nicest captain around) :D

There is a video link in Posting #33 (NBC NEWS,I think just video no voice), which is similar to what I saw on The Weather Channel. Try WeatherChannel.com and check their video log.

[Turtles06]

 

This is what the crews drill for; something like this brings home how important these practice sessions are. With all the sophisticated, helpful equipment aboard the modern ships and sail boats, sometimes it comes down to skills seafarers have been using for centuries, where experience counts.

 

You can say that again. In fact, the day before the rescue, while we were still docked in Bermuda, the Gem had conducted a drill in which they lowered one of the starboard side lifeboats, which then puttered around the (very calm!) water off the Dockyard.

 

Do hope there were no complaints about reaching NYC a bit late. This rescue probably cost NCL quite a bit of extra fuel, so head pats all around.

 

I heard no complaints, and I sure hope no one complained. I did hear one woman ask during the rescue whether we would be taking the rescued passengers to wherever they had been going, and another, upon learning that we were turning around to rescue a sailboat in distress (in obviously dangerous sea conditions), that this would be "fun." :eek:

[Je2ter]

I was on the ship! Got lots of pictures and video. Our "easy walk off" was a bit crazy, we were off the ship by 11am.. But no big deal. Others with colored luggage must have been closer to 12 or later.

Was a fantastic rescue and I was glued to the windows like everyone else! Everytime the ship spun around we would run to the oppsite side to watch some more! The crew did an amazing job. They deserve a reward!!! The waves were incredibly rough!!! The sailboat and lifeboat looked like little toys out there in the big crazy sea. They say they were lost out there for three whole days!! I cant even imagine!!! The waves were SO bad.

Every article excludes that there was a little dog too. Let's not forget he endured that awful weather too!!

[ronsex]

As unbelievable as this is and looking at the incredible pics from some of the passengers... One of the passengers on the troubled boat, the only female, is a close friend of my sister who I have met on a few occasions when visiting Montreal.

 

We are so appreciative to the fantastic and brave crew of the Gem and thankful that they were in the right place at the right time to rescue Diane and her shipmates.

 

BRAVO!!!

 

Ron

[che5904]

I found this video on-line.

 

It's been a very long day getting home from NY... I've looked quickly through the photos I took during the rescue yesterday, and am posting a few below. (CC limits us to six.) As I looked at my photos, I was amazed all over again at the bravery of the Gem's crew. The conditions were quite dangerous. While you can see the waves and swells in the photos, you can't feel the really strong wind that was blowing and making things even worse.

 

Congratulations again to Captain Svedung and the crew for a job well done!

 

A Coast Guard plane circled the Sanctuary until the Gem arrived and all those aboard the sailboat had been rescued. In the high seas, we saw the plane from the Gem long before we could spot the sailboat.

 

The Sanctuary adrift

 

Captain Svedung sent Lifeboat 9 from the starboard side off to rescue those on aboard the Sanctuary; the Coast Guard plane continued to circle overhead.

 

With the wind and the seas, it was no easy task for the lifeboat to get alongside the sailboat and rescue those on board.

 

With the sailors now on board the lifeboat, the Sanctuary is left behind.

 

It was a rough ride back to the Gem for Lifeboat 9. Given the conditions, it took about an hour for the Gem and the lifeboat to maneuver into a position where the lifeboat could approach the Gem safely and be hoisted back aboard. When Lifeboat 9 was finally secured to the Gem, cheers erupted all over the ship.

 

It was amazing to have witnessed this. Thank goodness for the successful rescue.

 

(photos by Turtles06)

 

Thanks for the link and the photos. Amazing & impressive aren't really strong enough, but my mind won't find another word at the moment.

 

NCL I'm sure you are very proud of your brave crew. All the drills in the world cannot prepare you for the real thing.

 

I hope someone interviewed the rescued. Not because I care how they got in the predicament in the first place but their take on the rescue and what they must have felt like seeing this huge cruise ship come to their rescue.

[SnowshoeCat]

Turtles - thanks for posting the pictures. I sent a link to my parents. They were watching from inside, and never got to see the the lifeboat actually get back onto the Gem. My mother said that it was kind of weird when they really thought about it. All these people standing around watching, taking pictures from a solid ship, while some people's lives were actually in danger. Of course it's not something you'd turn your back on, either. The Gem crew should be proud!

[CruisinPandora]

Thanks for the photo's and the link to the video.

 

My husband and I were on this cruise also.

 

Great job to the captain and the ship's crew for an incredible job!

 

The rescue was a very scary thing to watch but everyone onboard was

 

very pleased when it ended successfully and with everyone safe.

[ZoneHPH]

well i suppose that's one way to get onto a cruiseship to avoid the fare prices...:D though i wouldn't recommend THAT method...heheheheh.

 

just saw the video on weather.com

 

that just makes me proud.

Save Lives Like A Norwegian!

[steveknj]

WTG Gem crew. Just awesome!! We'll be on the Gem starting Sunday and have a M&G scheduled for Monday. I am hopefully going to shake the hand of this hero!!

[cherylroslyn]

well i suppose that's one way to get onto a cruiseship to avoid the fare prices...:D though i wouldn't recommend THAT method...heheheheh.

 

just saw the video on weather.com

 

that just makes me proud.

Save Lives Like A Norwegian!

Thats really cute!!!! I love the new commercial.....I play it all the time.......I finally actually saw the commercial on tv....