(NSI News Source Info) April 25, 2009: The beginning of this week saw Royal Naval and RAF Search and Rescue helicopter crews called out to airlift passengers from cruise ships off the south west coast of England to mainland hospitals.
View of Cunard liner 'Queen Mary 2' from the RAF Search and Rescue helicopter [Picture: RAF]
The first cruise ship casualty was a female awaiting a kidney transplant. She had just started a voyage on the Cunard liner 'Queen Victoria' when a donated kidney became available.
She was contacted and told to be in hospital by 0900hrs that morning.
Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose's duty Search and Rescue helicopter was scrambled and collected her from the liner and transferred her to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge where she was prepared for the transplantation surgery.
The second call to a liner involved a 57-year-old passenger suffering from severe abdominal pains shortly after the liner 'Queen Mary 2' had left Southampton en-route to New York.
The call was handled by the UK Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre at RAF Kinloss and the duty controller scrambled the RAF Search and Rescue helicopter from Chivenor at 0600hrs which rendezvoused with the 'Queen Mary 2' at 0730hrs, 65 nautical miles west of the Scillies.Co-pilot Flight Lieutenant Jon Evans described the scene:
"The weather conditions were absolutely perfect. The sea state was around one to two, almost completely flat calm with a gentle south-westerly breeze.
The casualty is carried by stretcher to the winching area identified by Flight Lieutenant Mark Fisk.
"RAF paramedic winchman Sergeant Ryan Thomas was lowered to the deck as the 'Queen Mary 2' does not have a helideck and the deck isn't stressed for the weight of a Sea King.
"Ryan's assessment was it would be a stretcher evacuation and that the casualty's partner would also have to be winched onboard. We were surprised when the casualty's partner was winched up, bearing a bottle of champagne as a thank-you gift to the crew!
"We orbited for 30 minutes whilst Ryan prepared the casualty, then when they were onboard, we set off for the Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske in Truro, Cornwall. The transit took 55 minutes and we touched down at 0855."
View of Cunard liner 'Queen Mary 2' from the RAF Search and Rescue helicopter [Picture: RAF]
The first cruise ship casualty was a female awaiting a kidney transplant. She had just started a voyage on the Cunard liner 'Queen Victoria' when a donated kidney became available.
She was contacted and told to be in hospital by 0900hrs that morning.
Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose's duty Search and Rescue helicopter was scrambled and collected her from the liner and transferred her to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge where she was prepared for the transplantation surgery.
The second call to a liner involved a 57-year-old passenger suffering from severe abdominal pains shortly after the liner 'Queen Mary 2' had left Southampton en-route to New York.
The call was handled by the UK Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre at RAF Kinloss and the duty controller scrambled the RAF Search and Rescue helicopter from Chivenor at 0600hrs which rendezvoused with the 'Queen Mary 2' at 0730hrs, 65 nautical miles west of the Scillies.Co-pilot Flight Lieutenant Jon Evans described the scene:
"The weather conditions were absolutely perfect. The sea state was around one to two, almost completely flat calm with a gentle south-westerly breeze.
The casualty is carried by stretcher to the winching area identified by Flight Lieutenant Mark Fisk.
"RAF paramedic winchman Sergeant Ryan Thomas was lowered to the deck as the 'Queen Mary 2' does not have a helideck and the deck isn't stressed for the weight of a Sea King.
"Ryan's assessment was it would be a stretcher evacuation and that the casualty's partner would also have to be winched onboard. We were surprised when the casualty's partner was winched up, bearing a bottle of champagne as a thank-you gift to the crew!
"We orbited for 30 minutes whilst Ryan prepared the casualty, then when they were onboard, we set off for the Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske in Truro, Cornwall. The transit took 55 minutes and we touched down at 0855."
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