Norwegian Gem's Captain Diverts Cruise to Rescue Distressed Sailors

[donnar]

We saw this amazing rescue while on the Gem. It was just so awesome how people can work together. DH has an awesome pic of a crew member extended his hand to one of the boaters!! It is so heart felt. :cool:

[www3traveler]

We saw this amazing rescue while on the Gem. It was just so awesome how people can work together. DH has an awesome pic of a crew member extended his hand to one of the boaters!! It is so heart felt. :cool:

I had the pleasure of sailing on The Gem this past February. I recognized several faces in the video that has been posted. I have sent notes to both the Captain and the Staff Captain for a job well done. It must have been a very scary time for both gentlemen as they arrived the safe return of the lifeboat, its' crew and and rescued sailors.

[boeckli]

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.

 

Thank you - just found it.

It was nice to hear Captain Svedung's comments :D

BTW Captain Svedung features in the "Mighty Ships" episode of Norwegian Epic, whose captain he was until end of February.

[youngestof9]

What amazing footage. Found a great youtube clip too

 

I sailed Epic in January and Capt. Svedung was our captain and was so happy when we boarded the Gem in October and there he was again!

 

I liked his comment "we are all sailors....we look out for each other"

 

What an amazing rescue. PROUD to be a Norwegian!

[Squidward Q Tentacles]

Being adrift in heavy seas is a terrifying ordeal, those men must of had felt so relived to see any ship approaching, but a cruise ship must have been a truly wonderful sight. The Gem's crew did a great job, and that shows great for NCL to have a capable crew. The crew that rescued them will have memories that will last the rest of their lives and be passed down to their descendants. I kind of wonder if any of them were ex-Coasties, I did meet one that was on a cruise ship for awhile before going to a NOAA ship.

 

Great job to the crew of the Gem, and the the USCG for their work.

[Gilligan777]

Wow, I was on the Gem cruise and have great photo's of this rescue from my balcony, although not sure how to post them.

 

What really surprised me was the delay, from the first sight of the sailboat to their rescue onto the ship. One of the crew members later told me that each individual they bring on board has to go through a type of customs check before coming aboard. Which is what caused the delay as the Coast Guard needed to clear them for boarding.

 

Trust me, they were rocking and rolling for a while prior to rescue but I guess that is better than bringing pirates onboard...from what I was told that is always the Captains concern. Who knew....:eek:

 

On a side note: I have been on other ships with exciting situations. I believe it was the Gem again, a helicopter had to come out to sea in order to remove and ill passenger. Then on another ship, "Man Overboard" distress made by a passenger. Had to do a head count, searched for hours only to find out it was a prank. That family was removed from the ship at the next port. At the Ocho Rio port five passengers were arrested for purchasing drugs, four of the families left the ship to help, one family said the heck with it and left the person in jail....yikes!

[Sea saw 56]

I realize the Coast Guard asked for help in this situation. I would HOPE that in most situations a cruise ship would not bring people on board just because they seem to be "stranded at sea". Those of us who sail regularly are pre-screened. We answer health questionaires upon registration, our bodies and belongings are scanned for weapons, etc. The world is becoming more dangerous by the day because there are so many desperate people out there. One thing I read this week really brought it home to me. We were in St. Lucia last October on an (NCL) excursion in a mini-van with an extremely small group. We made an unplanned stop (in the middle of nowhere) so a man could look at a "rare banana tree". I remember feeling like a sitting duck...didn't feel safe at all. This week - I read that in the same area a bus load of 50 passengers were robbed by 4 armed gunmen.

I guess the point I'm making is--who knows (these days) who these "stranded" people are? Pirates? Murderers? Do they have an illness that could be spread to passengers? I figure if I'm ON the cruise ship I'm safe. But I assume the people I'm aboard with have been checked out.

Cruise ships should be given devices to throw overboard (pingers) that can be tracked by the Coast Guard (they have GUNS), and in the majority of instances, cruise ships should not pick up strangers.

[Turtles06]

I realize the Coast Guard asked for help in this situation. I would HOPE that in most situations a cruise ship would not bring people on board just because they seem to be "stranded at sea".

 

... I guess the point I'm making is--who knows (these days) who these "stranded" people are? Pirates? Murderers? Do they have an illness that could be spread to passengers? I figure if I'm ON the cruise ship I'm safe. But I assume the people I'm aboard with have been checked out.

Cruise ships should be given devices to throw overboard (pingers) that can be tracked by the Coast Guard (they have GUNS), and in the majority of instances, cruise ships should not pick up strangers.

 

I don't know why this 2011 thread has been revived, but if you read above, you'll see that I was on the Gem when this rescue occurred. The Gem didn't need to throw a "pinger" overboard for the Coast Guard, as the Coast Guard knew where the sailboat was. But there was NO Coast Guard ship anywhere nearby. The Gem was the closest vessel, and even then we were about two hours away. There was a storm going on, the sailboat had lost power and was taking on water. If the Gem hadn't rescued those on board the sailboat, they very likely would have died.

[Laszlo]

I realize the Coast Guard asked for help in this situation. I would HOPE that in most situations a cruise ship would not bring people on board just because they seem to be "stranded at sea". Those of us who sail regularly are pre-screened. We answer health questionaires upon registration, our bodies and belongings are scanned for weapons, etc. The world is becoming more dangerous by the day because there are so many desperate people out there. One thing I read this week really brought it home to me. We were in St. Lucia last October on an (NCL) excursion in a mini-van with an extremely small group. We made an unplanned stop (in the middle of nowhere) so a man could look at a "rare banana tree". I remember feeling like a sitting duck...didn't feel safe at all. This week - I read that in the same area a bus load of 50 passengers were robbed by 4 armed gunmen.

I guess the point I'm making is--who knows (these days) who these "stranded" people are? Pirates? Murderers? Do they have an illness that could be spread to passengers? I figure if I'm ON the cruise ship I'm safe. But I assume the people I'm aboard with have been checked out.

Cruise ships should be given devices to throw overboard (pingers) that can be tracked by the Coast Guard (they have GUNS), and in the majority of instances, cruise ships should not pick up strangers.

 

 

You sound just a bit paranoid. You need to move to the east coast, that will toughen you up :D

[francina]

Ditto that. If it was you in that boat in distress would you want to be left?

 

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