Saturday, March 23, 2019

"Viking Cruises engine failure off Norway coast prompts rescue operation for 1,300 people on board"

The good news is the ship is close to shore. The bad news is the ship is close to shore.
Fortunately, the ship is not captained by Schettino.*

From ABC (U.S.) News:

 A cruise ship went adrift off the waters of Norway on March 23, 2019, and passengers were being evacuated.
 (Eva Frisnes)  A cruise ship went adrift off the waters of Norway on March 23, 2019, and passengers were being evacuated.
Rescue helicopters were battling severe winds on Saturday to airlift more than 1,300 people off a Viking Cruises' ship that issued a distressed call after an engine failure off the coast of Norway.
Of the 1,300 stranded, 915 were passengers on the Viking Cruises' ship called The Viking Sky, Norway's Rescue Coordination Centre told ABC News. The ship can house 930 guests and was built in 2017, according to the company's website.

The initial mayday was received by the agency at 2 p.m. local time, a Viking spokesman said. Currently, the cruise ship is close to shore and has one engine working and one anchor holding. Rescuers hope to get two other engines working....
...MORE

Schettino below but before I forget, Moss Hills, hero of the sinking MTS Oceanos, via the PBS program NOVA:

Why Ships Sink

PBS Airdate: April 18, 2012

NARRATOR: Moss raced to the bridge.

MOSS HILLS: I went up to the bridge area and it was completely abandoned. And it looked in a bit of disarray. There were binoculars lying around and sliding around, and charts had fallen to the floor. And it's just not a sight that you expect to see.

NARRATOR: The missing captain was later discovered, smoking a cigarette under the stairs. Many of the crew had fled in a lifeboat.

MOSS HILLS: Still no announcements, still no officers to be seen anywhere, and we started to realize we were in charge.

NARRATOR: Moss grabbed the ship's radio.

MOSS HILLS: And I'd said, "Mayday!" And he said, "Right," well, you know, "What is your mayday?" And I said, you know, "We're the cruise ship Oceanos. We're sinking."

And he said, "Well, what rank are you?" I said, "Well I'm, I'm not actually a rank, I'm a guitarist."

And he said, "Well, what are you doing on the bridge?"

I said, "Well, there's nobody else here." And he said, "Where's the captain and the officers?" I said, "I don't know. We don't know where they are."...MORE
Moss and the rest of the band assisted by the comedian Julian Butler, the magician and the choreographer were able to organize the shipboard part of the rescue of 571 people.

*When the "Costa Concordia" got too close to shore in 2012 it hit a rock, capsized and 32 people died. Captain Schettino fled and this transpired: Via The Guardian:
Translated transcript of the conversation between Captain Francesco Schettino of the Costa Concordia and Captain Gregorio de Falco of the Italian coastguard in Livorno  
...De Falco: "Schettino? Listen Schettino. There are people trapped on board. Now you go with your boat under the prow on the starboard side. There is a pilot ladder. You will climb that ladder and go on board. You go on board and then you will tell me how many people there are. Is that clear? I'm recording this conversation, Cmdr Schettino …"

Schettino: "Commander, let me tell you one thing …"

De Falco: "Speak up! Put your hand in front of the microphone and speak more loudly, is that clear?"

Schettino: "In this moment, the boat is tipping …"

De Falco: "I understand that, listen, there are people that are coming down the pilot ladder of the prow. You go up that pilot ladder, get on that ship and tell me how many people are still on board. And what they need. Is that clear? You need to tell me if there are children, women or people in need of assistance. And tell me the exact number of each of these categories. Is that clear? Listen Schettino, that you saved yourself from the sea, but I am going to … really do something bad to you … I am going to make you pay for this. Go on board, (expletive)!"

Schettino: "Commander, please …"

De Falco: "No, please. You now get up and go on board. They are telling me that on board there are still …"

Schettino: "I am here with the rescue boats, I am here, I am not going anywhere, I am here …"

De Falco: "What are you doing, commander?"

Schettino: "I am here to co-ordinate the rescue …"

De Falco: "What are you co-ordinating there? Go on board! Co-ordinate the rescue from aboard the ship. Are you refusing?"

Schettino: "No, I am not refusing."

De Falco: "Are you refusing to go aboard, commander? Can you tell me the reason why you are not going?"

Schettino: "I am not going because the other lifeboat is stopped."

De Falco: "You go aboard. It is an order. Don't make any more excuses. You have declared 'abandon ship'. Now I am in charge. You go on board! Is that clear? Do you hear me? Go, and call me when you are aboard. My air rescue crew is there."

Schettino: "Where are your rescuers?"

De Falco: "My air rescue is on the prow. Go. There are already bodies, Schettino."

Schettino: "How many bodies are there?"

De Falco: "I don't know. I have heard of one. You are the one who has to tell me how many there are. Christ!"

Schettino: "But do you realise it is dark and here we can't see anything …"

De Falco: "And so what? You want to go home, Schettino? It is dark and you want to go home? Get on that prow of the boat using the pilot ladder and tell me what can be done, how many people there are and what their needs are. Now!"...MORE