allensmith81 Posted April 24, 2017 #1 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Just heard from my mum that independence of the seas is diverting to the azures due to an on board medical emergency. It's not know what the nature of the emergency is but our thoughts must be with who ever has taken ill at this time. Its not expected the diversion will result in late arrival in Southampton according to the captain. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sancho_proudfoot Posted April 24, 2017 #2 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Really unfortunate when it happens on a transatlantic crossing, as even the Azores may be a long way away. Hopefully they'll make it fast enough for that poor passenger to get the medical attention needed swiftly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare island lady Posted April 24, 2017 #3 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Doesn't Indy have a helicopter pad? But if they are close enough to the Azores...would not be needed then I guess. We have been on several cruises that were diverted due to medical emergencies. Some required we subbed, or skipped a port of call even. Sad for those poor passengers to have that happen away from home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted April 24, 2017 #4 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Doesn't Indy have a helicopter pad? But if they are close enough to the Azores...would not be neededthen I guess. We have been on several cruises that were diverted due to medical emergencies. Some required we subbed, or skipped a port of call even. Sad for those poor passengers to have that happen away from home. Yes, Indy has a helicopter pad, but landing a helicopter on the ship is a dangerous operation in and of itself and they will avoid that if at all possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare island lady Posted April 24, 2017 #5 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Yes, Indy has a helicopter pad, but landing a helicopter on the ship is a dangerous operation in and of itself and they will avoid that if at all possible. Totally agree. Especially out there in the middle of the Atlantic! :eek: We were docked at Labadee once, and they landed the helicopter for a med emergency on the dock, versus the ship. Even had one at Coco Cay, where they tendered the passenger into the island first, then loaded onto helicopter on the island. I am assuming the helicopter pad on the ship is indeed for extreme emergencies only. Have never seen one land on a ship yet. Need a pretty good pilot for that I am sure!:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negc Posted April 24, 2017 #6 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Any time we have experienced a medical evacuation from a cruise ship, and it has happened at least twice on TAs that we were on, the copter hovered over the ship while a crew member and a gurney were lowered to the deck, the sick passenger placed in the gurney and both the passenger and the copter's crew member were lifted back into the copter which then took the ill passenger to the nearest medical facility. Have never seen a helicopter actually land on the ship's helipad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voyager70 Posted April 24, 2017 #7 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Any time we have experienced a medical evacuation from a cruise ship, and it has happened at least twice on TAs that we were on, the copter hovered over the ship while a crew member and a gurney were lowered to the deck, the sick passenger placed in the gurney and both the passenger and the copter's crew member were lifted back into the copter which then took the ill passenger to the nearest medical facility. Have never seen a helicopter actually land on the ship's helipad. Wow that must have been scary. I know I get upset every time I hear the Alpha, Alpha, Alpha call. To think someone has had a medical emergency while on a cruise is very distressing. Thank God for the top-notch care available on cruise ships now. Hopefully the Indy passenger will be OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gquie Posted April 24, 2017 #8 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Wow that must have been scary. I know I get upset every time I hear the Alpha, Alpha, Alpha call. To think someone has had a medical emergency while on a cruise is very distressing. Thank God for the top-notch care available on cruise ships now. Hopefully the Indy passenger will be OK. I was on the Allure yesterday and as I was walking back to my room from the wind jammer the loud speaker went off saying Alpha Alpha Alpha. She repeated it a couple times and gave a location on the ship. I was wondering what that meant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean Dancer Posted April 24, 2017 #9 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Just heard from my mum that independence of the seas is diverting to the azures due to an on board medical emergency. It's not know what the nature of the emergency is but our thoughts must be with who ever has taken ill at this time. Its not expected the diversion will result in late arrival in Southampton according to the captain. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Welcome to Cruise Critic. Many of us would like to be updated so if you hear from your Mum again, please pass it along, Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted April 24, 2017 #10 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Yes, Indy has a helicopter pad, but landing a helicopter on the ship is a dangerous operation in and of itself and they will avoid that if at all possible. I understand that it is inherently dangerous, but they use helicopters like taxis for oil platforms. Those thing move as well don't they? And what about SpaceX, they're landing rockets on barges with a landing zone not much bigger. [emoji33] Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted April 24, 2017 #11 Share Posted April 24, 2017 I understand that it is inherently dangerous, but they use helicopters like taxis for oil platforms. Those thing move as well don't they? And what about SpaceX, they're landing rockets on barges with a landing zone not much bigger. [emoji33] Don't know about oil platforms, maybe there's more space there. We need the Chief to explain. Also, there are no humans in the rocket and around the landing pad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo&fran Posted April 24, 2017 #12 Share Posted April 24, 2017 (edited) The helipads on these ships are not designed to accommodate the weight on an MH60 Jayhawk the USCG uses for medivac anyway. They are more like ornaments than being functional. listed empty weight of the MH60T in 14500 lbs. Edited April 24, 2017 by mo&fran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWOL Posted April 24, 2017 #13 Share Posted April 24, 2017 The helipads on these ships are not designed to accommodate the weight on an MH60 Jayhawk the USCG uses for medivac anyway. They are more like ornaments than being functional.listed empty weight of the MH60T in 14500 lbs. What is the weight they are designed to carry? A lot of the Drilling ships are smaller than this ship and can handle a helicopter of this class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken at the beach Posted April 24, 2017 #14 Share Posted April 24, 2017 The helipads on these ships are not designed to accommodate the weight on an MH60 Jayhawk the USCG uses for medivac anyway. They are more like ornaments than being functional.listed empty weight of the MH60T in 14500 lbs. There was a report within the past 2 or 3 months about a helicopter actually landing on the helipad. Not sure what kind of helicopter it was but it did land for the evac as opposed to using the basket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
setsail Posted April 24, 2017 #15 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Really unfortunate when it happens on a transatlantic crossing, as even the Azores may be a long way away. Hopefully they'll make it fast enough for that poor passenger to get the medical attention needed swiftly. How do you or those posting know it's a passenger?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnt10 Posted April 24, 2017 #16 Share Posted April 24, 2017 There was a report within the past 2 or 3 months about a helicopter actually landing on the helipad. Not sure what kind of helicopter it was but it did land for the evac as opposed to using the basket. There was one video posted recently, i thought on these boards of a helicopter landing on an RCI ship. Can't find it got the life of me now. If you look on youtube, there are several showing landing on ships, even this one landing on the Adventure OTS: So, it can be done if deemed absolutely necessary..... tnt10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo&fran Posted April 24, 2017 #17 Share Posted April 24, 2017 the helicopter in the video is a Bell Jetranger family of copters. i guessing it would weigh in the neighborhood of 4000 lbs. The max weight the helipad can take is painted on the deck, bit do not recall what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare bobmacliberty Posted April 24, 2017 #18 Share Posted April 24, 2017 What is the weight they are designed to carry? A lot of the Drilling ships are smaller than this ship and can handle a helicopter of this class. I talked with someone who worked for a couple of years on/off oil platforms right after graduating from college. More often than not, he was transferred from a ship to the platform using a crane with some sort of large basket thing. He said it was often VERY interesting trying to get from the ship that was moving up and down in the waves into the basket that was stationary. I got the sense that helicopters were the exception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoopster95 Posted April 24, 2017 #19 Share Posted April 24, 2017 There was a report within the past 2 or 3 months about a helicopter actually landing on the helipad. Not sure what kind of helicopter it was but it did land for the evac as opposed to using the basket. Helicopter landing on Harmony's helipad, Jan 9 2017 http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=52068166&highlight=helicopter#post52068166 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorben-Hendrik Posted April 24, 2017 #20 Share Posted April 24, 2017 I am on Indy now - there was an Alpha call earlier for a passenger that "slipped" on deck 5 - but I am not aware of any diversion.....will try to find out.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare A&L_Ont Posted April 24, 2017 #21 Share Posted April 24, 2017 I am on Indy now - there was an Alpha call earlier for a passenger that "slipped" on deck 5 - but I am not aware of any diversion.....will try to find out.... Germanfflyer, enjoy Indy and have some good runs. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted April 24, 2017 #22 Share Posted April 24, 2017 I talked with someone who worked for a couple of years on/off oil platforms right after graduating from college. More often than not, he was transferred from a ship to the platform using a crane with some sort of large basket thing. He said it was often VERY interesting trying to get from the ship that was moving up and down in the waves into the basket that was stationary. I got the sense that helicopters were the exception. There is a windmill service company in Norway that has a maintenance ship that has a fantasy that moves with the ocean. Totally level when deployed. Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted April 24, 2017 #23 Share Posted April 24, 2017 Helicopter landing on Harmony's helipad, Jan 9 2017 http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=52068166&highlight=helicopter#post52068166 Looks like CG to me. I guess they have alternative choices. Some of the cutters that visit PC have small helicopters on the back. Patrick AFB uses Blackhawks for water rescue training. Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BourkeBlogs Posted April 25, 2017 #24 Share Posted April 25, 2017 We are on Indy at the moment. To confirm around lunch time today during the captains usual daily address we were advised the ship was being diverted to the Azores due to a passenger requiring specialist medical attention. The anticipated arrival was between 12 and 1am on Tuesday morning and looking at our current position we are around 30 miles from port. From the map on the TV it doesn't look as though it was much of a route change and the captain advised they expect the arrival in Southampton on schedule. This is probably due to the fact we had been cruising around 17 knots but this afternoon we have been around 22.5. In addition it's also the second passenger we are aware of to be offloaded for medical reasons as our departure from St Maarten was also delayed for a couple of hours for a passenger who required medical attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken at the beach Posted April 25, 2017 #25 Share Posted April 25, 2017 Helicopter landing on Harmony's helipad, Jan 9 2017 http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=52068166&highlight=helicopter#post52068166 That's the one I remember reading about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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