TUI Cruises has released footage of a helicopter evacuation exercise conducted aboard Mein Schiff 7 off the Norwegian coast near Bergen, demonstrating the procedures used when a passenger or crew member requires urgent medical evacuation while the vessel is at sea.
During the exercise, a rescue helicopter approached the ship’s bow and hovered over the vessel while two rescue specialists were lowered onto the deck using a winch. The operation allowed the ship’s crew and the aviation team to rehearse the coordination required during an emergency evacuation, including communications, positioning and the transfer of rescue personnel.
Captain Jens Troier of Mein Schiff 7 took part in the video, explaining the purpose of the exercise and the procedures being practised. TUI Cruises stressed that the operation was a planned drill and that there was no actual medical emergency.
In a real incident, helicopter evacuation can be required when a passenger or crew member needs medical treatment ashore and waiting for the ship to reach its next port would not be appropriate. Such operations require close coordination between the vessel, helicopter crew, rescue specialists, medical personnel and maritime authorities.
The exercise provided an opportunity to conduct the procedure under controlled conditions while reproducing key elements of an actual evacuation. The helicopter approached the vessel at speed before maintaining position over the ship and deploying the rescue personnel by cable winch.
Helicopter operations have also formed part of larger maritime emergency exercises involving Mein Schiff 7. In June 2024, shortly after the vessel entered service, the ship participated in a major German maritime-rescue drill off Warnemünde that included helicopter deployment of a medical response team, rescue vessels and an emergency towing operation.
TUI Cruises regards regular emergency exercises as part of maintaining operational readiness. The company’s current safety programme includes coordination between shipboard management and external emergency services, while its onboard medical facilities provide continuous medical support to passengers and crew.
The latest drill off Norway therefore focused on a specific element of maritime emergency response: the safe and coordinated transfer of rescue personnel between a helicopter and a moving cruise ship. Regular exercises of this type allow the participating teams to maintain familiarity with procedures that may be required during an actual evacuation.