Originally Posted by
SASless
The Achilles heel to this method of rescue is simply logistics.
Ability to put the basket(s) on scene.... and then being able to perform the lifts.
Just how do you achieve that is the problem....Cruise Ships cover a lot of ground during their operations and evacuations from some distance from shore become very difficult to carry out.
This is one of those "Solutions looking for Problem" situations I am thinking.
Baskets for multi-person evacuations from tall buildings in a large urban area.....that makes sense.
Lifts during large area floods.....again I can see the use for a basket.
Cruise ships well away from shore....not so much.
You've kind of answered your own question SASless!
No single rescue capability is ideal for every rescue scenario and I made the point earlier that Multi Person Helicopter Rescue is designed to compliment existing capability rather than replace it. However, you state that MPHR is not suitable for emergencies on cruise ships well away from shore, but you've made that point on a thread that's discussing an emergency that happened about 1km from the shore. So of course we can find scenarios where it might not work, but there are plenty where it can - and does.
Interestingly, I attended some meetings and briefings with the SARINOR (Search And Rescue In The High North) project time a year or so back - a Norwegian led study that is modelling and planning for just the scenario that you describe. There is a huge increase in large cruise ships (much larger than the MV Viking Sky) that are sailing right up to the polar ice cap - well above 80º North - and the regional rescue agencies are very worried that an MV Viking Sky type emergency could occur in those areas. In this scenario, we discussed how a temporary rescue camp would be set up on the ice cap itself; where logistics (aircraft fuel!), medical and life support services would be set up whilst the longer term rescue plan (anything from 12 - 72 hour or more) could be activated. In this scenario, Multi Person Helicopter Rescue baskets formed an integral part of that particular planing and modelling.
Remember that cruise ships typically sail quite close to the coasts for much of their voyage, as they hop from port to port. But of course, they also sail across oceans and even when 'hopping' they can be several hundred miles from shore and in those circumstances, the capability (like everything else) has its limitations. MPHR is only really limited though, by the range of the helicopters and their ability to reach the emergency location.
You're also right to point out that MPHR is also very useful for high rise building fires - as demonstrated in the recent Dhaka tower fire. Whilst MPHR was not utilised in that rescue, people were rescued by helicopter from the building's flat roof. Could more have been saved if MPHR baskets were available? I don't know, but the concept of rescue from the top of a building, where the lower floors are on fire and stairways are blocked, is proven.