On the night of June 3rd, the Germany-flagged ship AIDAluna was involved in a coordinated rescue operation in the Arctic Circle following the discovery of individuals adrift in a liferaft near Spitsbergen Island.
The incident took place around 23:00 hours local time (~21:00 UTC) under severe climatic conditions, with air temperatures barely above freezing and sea temperatures just above 3°C.
Upon identifying the liferaft, AIDAluna’s Navigation Bridge team promptly ceased navigation and assumed an emergency holding position, while coordination began with regional rescue authorities.
A rescue helicopter was deployed to the scene to assess the situation and execute the extraction.
Onboard preparations included alerting passengers and placing the medical staff on standby, with contingency plans involving the use of tender boats if direct rescue from the cruise ship became necessary. However, the operation was successfully carried out by air, and the shipwrecked individuals were airlifted to medical facilities in Longyearbyen, the principal settlement in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, for evaluation and care.
The intervention caused only a temporary delay to AIDAluna's itinerary. Following clearance from maritime authorities, the vessel resumed its scheduled course. The incident highlights the capacity of modern cruise vessels to assist in maritime emergencies, particularly in remote and environmentally challenging waters.
For more AIDAluna incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.