RESCUE MISSIONS

Posted on 12/04/2015

Britain’s Royal Air Force made two significant missions in the Falklands Islands in the past few weeks. The first was to rescue 347 passengers from a cruise ship that had suffered a major engine fire and the second was a search and rescue operation to reach a man aboard a cruise ship who had been bitten by a seal.

Mid-November military forces were called to assist Le Boreal that had lost power due to an engine room fire. The vessel is an expedition style ship and the UK Ministry of Defence reported that it was in peril of running aground on Cape Dolphin. Four helicopters and two life rafts were required to rescue 79 people from the deck of the drifting cruise ship. Some required medical attention at the British forces base at Mount Pleasant. HMS Clyde was sent to oversee two other life rafts that were sent to rescue 200 other passengers.

“We responded with everything we had yesterday to assist in what was an extremely complex and hazardous rescue operation in difficult conditions,” Commander of British Forces South Atlantic Islands Darren Bone said in a statement. “This was a huge team effort involving close liaison with the Falkland Islands Government and I am enormously impressed with the reaction by all the British forces involved, it was an exemplary performance all round.” Also this week, a British Royal Air Force helicopter and a Royal Air Force Hercules tactical transport aircraft were dispatched to the Akademik Sergey Vavilov, a 92 passenger expedition style cruise ship to transport a passenger who required medical attention.

An unnamed British man had been reportedly bitten by a fur seal during a visit to Salisbury Plain Beach on South Georgia Island and was in serious condition. The Royal Air Force dispatched two helicopters with a military doctor on board to reach the man suffering from a severe bite on his arm. He was taken to Falkland’s capital Port Stanley for urgent medical attention. HMS Clyde was sent as well and used as a refuelling platform due to the great distance involved in the mission.

Commodore Bone said, “We were able to deliver him to hospital in Stanley over 24 hours earlier than would have been the case had he remained on the ship. "This successful rescue operation, conducted at maximum range from the Falkland Islands, demonstrates very clearly the value and capability of British naval and air forces working together."