A Kiwi cruise passenger has told how the ship she was on re-routed its travels around Fiji to answer a distressed mayday call on Sunday night.
Ali Gilchrist was on board the Pacific Explorer and watched the incident unfold from her balcony as the cruise ship made its way to a yacht with a broken mast just south-west of Nadi.
“The captain advised us over the intercom at about 1900hrs that we had been asked to attend a distress call. He said we would reach there around 0100hrs,” she said.
The captain managed to locate the troubled vessel and one of the passengers rescued was taken on board, “he is comfortable in our hospital right now.”
Gilchrist said a second person was unable to climb off last night due to their condition and remained on the yacht.
“RCC NZ requested we monitor the yacht from a distance, as it is unsafe for us to get the second person off the yacht in their condition.”
Weather conditions had made the Pacific Explorer unable to “lower & recover our tender” and as of Monday morning were still waiting and monitoring the yacht.
Gilchrist described the ordeal as “a bit of a shock”.
“There was a buzz of nervous excitement amongst the passengers. At that point, we didn’t know what type of vessel it was.”
Ali Gilchrist/Supplied/Stuff
One person remains on the yacht while RCC Fiji send out other vessels to rescue them.
Maritime NZ’s rescue coordination centre said the Pacific Explorer remains alongside the yacht and two further support vessels are expected later today “one at about midday (local time) and another at 4pm (local time)”.
Support from the other two vessels are arriving to assist the “other people on board the yacht.” Due to conditions and the Pacific Explorer’s size, it “isn’t possible” to assist.
“Hopefully, they can help. We are hoping for conditions to improve so we can lower our tender safely,” Gilchrist said.
“RCC Fiji is the lead agency in response to this distress call, Maritime NZ’s RCCNZ is providing assistance,” Maritime NZ’s rescue coordination centre said.
Ali Gilchrist/Supplied/Stuff
One male from the yacht is in the hospital onboard the Pacific Explorer.
The Pacific Explorer disembarked from Auckland on September 22 for its eight day round trip journey around Fiji before returning to Auckland on September 30.
Formerly known as the Dawn Princess the cruise ship can hold a maximum capacity of 2,395 people.
Due to the rescue, the Pacific Explorer missed their Suva port and passengers are trying to enjoy a day on the ship.
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