The cruise ship Orion made the first Amver rescue of 2013 in a treacherous rescue off the coast of Tasmania. According to a release from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, a solo sailor had spent 56 hours in a life raft in the Southern Ocean after his yacht was de-masted and hull damaged in rough weather on Friday, January 18, 2013 during a round the world journey. Australian rescue personnel sent search aircraft that dropped survival and communications supplies to the sailor and contacted the master of the Orion. The cruise ship was 600 miles away from the sailor when rescue authorities requested the captain divert the 337 foot cruise ship and embark the sailor. Once the Orion reached the life raft the recovery of the sailor took approximately one hour. The crew of the Bahamian flagged cruise ship were assisted by better than expected weather conditions.
Here is a video of the rescue operations.
The sailor was in good health with minor injuries and was taken back to Hobart, Tasmania. "His hands are a little swollen and some joints a little stiff but but he is walking around his suite," expedition leaders Don and Margie McIntyre said, "he ordered a steak for lunch!"
The Orion, managed by Orion Expedition Cruises of North Sydney, Australia, enrolled in the Amver system on March 31, 2005 and has earned 3 Amver awards for participation.
Video and photo credit: Orion Facebook page
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