Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ ship Braemar came to the rescue of a marooned yacht in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
The 14-metre Nicollet, carrying four Polish passengers and crew, had been adrift for almost three days when the rescue was carried out on the morning of December 27.
The 929-passenger Braemar from cruising between Santa Cruz, Tenerife, to Bridgetown in Barbados.
Fred Olsen’s officer of the watch contacted Nicollet and it was confirmed the yacht’s steering gear had broken.
The two passengers –a man and a woman – were taken on board Braemar after a full security inspection and medical check. The skipper of the yacht requested materials so the remaining two could carry out repairs on the ship.
Fred Olsen delivered a supply of wood, a hacksaw, two wooden oars and a box of water.
Captain Robert Bamberg, master of Fred Olsen’s Braemar, said: “The sea conditions at the scene were very challenging, with three to five metres of swell, so in order to be able to carry out a rescue operation in such circumstances, everyone must know exactly what to do.
“Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is proud to have a very robust safety culture and procedures in place across its fleet, and my officers and crew showed true professionalism and knowledge while carrying out this rescue operation. We regularly conduct safety drills and practices, but it was great to see such team work, spirit and determination implemented so successfully in a real-life situation.”
On completing the necessary repairs, the Nicollet was able to continue sailing to Dominica.