The sailing was to mark the 185th anniversary of Cunard’s first transatlantic crossing
The Queen Mary 2 ocean liner was forced to make an unscheduled stop in Bangor, Co Down on Saturday morning to evacuate a passanger who had become ‘critically ill’.
The ship had left Liverpool on Friday night and was sailing towards Oban in Scotland when it was forced to make the unschduled stop in Northern Ireland.
It is understood that HM Coastguard, RNLI crews, NIAS and the charity Air Ambulance were involved in the evacuation with the passanger being taken to hospital via ambulance.
An RNLI spokesperson said: “Lifeboat crew with Donaghadee RNLI were launched twice this morning (Saturday 20 September) for two different callouts. The first launch was a medical evacuation to a cruise liner off Bangor, with Bangor RNLI tasked initially. The second callout was to a fishing vessel with two crew onboard that had lost power near Kilroot.
“Donaghadee RNLI was requested to launch at 10.10am this morning by Belfast coastguard. A medical evacuation from a cruise ship off Bangor harbour had been requested for a passenger with Bangor RNLI inshore lifeboat was initially tasked. The station’s Lifeboat Operations Manager also advised the coastguard that Donaghadee’s All-Weather lifeboat be requested to launch too due to the nature of the callout. In moving the passenger, the cruise ship’s tender was deemed the best form of transport, with Donaghadee lifeboat accompanying them to shore. Bangor Lifeboat remained on standby to launch if needed.
“The second callout came while the lifeboat was about to leave Belfast Harbour to return to station, at approximately 12 noon and was a request from the coastguard to assist a 22ft fishing vessel that had lost all power in choppy waters near Kilroot. Donaghadee All-Weather lifeboat immediately departed and on arrival at the scene the Coxswain assessed the situation with the crew. It was decided that the safest course of action, with the conditions present, would be to take the casualty vessel under tow to Bangor marina.
“Donaghadee Lifeboat was back on station at 2.30pm and ready to launch. Commenting on the callout Donaghadee RNLI Launch Authority Colin McIlroy said, ‘It was a busy morning for our lifeboat crew and our thanks to our colleagues in Bangor RNLI and Northern Ireland Air Ambulance, who were present for the first callout. Our thoughts are with the person involved in the medivac, for their successful recovery.
“No two callouts are the same and lifeboat crew train for every type of emergency. We would always advise anyone in trouble on the water or who thinks they see someone in difficulty to dial 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.”
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