UK Coastguard Airlift Saves Passenger from Cruise Ship in the English Channel
The UK Coastguard rescue helicopter 163 was scrambled from Lydd, Kent, on Monday evening (13th December 2021) to airlift a sick passenger from the cruise ship Mein Schiff Herz. The vessel was midway through its 38-day round-trip cruise from Bremerhaven through the Caribbean islands.
Emergency Evacuation Mid-Voyage
The ship’s master urgently requested helicopter assistance at around 8 pm UK time. At the time, the cruise liner was carrying over 2,500 passengers and more than 1,000 crew members, sailing through the English Channel.
A fully trained paramedic winchman was lowered onto the ship to assess the patient and help with the evacuation. The passenger was then airlifted from the 316-metre-long vessel to Ashford’s 1 Harvey Hospital for emergency treatment.
About Mein Schiff Herz
Mein Schiff Herz is one of two Century-class cruise ships operated by TUI Cruises. Originally built for Celebrity Cruises at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, she was launched on 11 July 1997 and entered service as MV Mercury on 27 October 1997.
