At last, a Qantas good news story.
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At last, a Qantas good news story.
From the Aviation Herald. Let's see what the media does with this one.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority reported, that three people were rescued off the life raft, which had come off a sinking fishing vessel. The fishermen had a digital emergency locator beacon with them which alerted rescue forces. The help by Qantas was requested because rescuers didn't want to lose sight of the raft once the raft had been visually located but the small airplane had to return.
Qantas confirmed the diversion saying it was obviously something they would participate in. The Hercules made it to the raft before the Qantas, so the Boeing wasn't needed in the end and continued its journey to Perth.
Incident: Qantas B763 near Esperance on May 10th 2010, diverted to assist sea rescue
By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, May 10th 2010 09:45Z, last updated Monday, May 10th 2010 09:50ZA Qantas Boeing 767-300, registration VH-OGN performing flight QF-475 from Melbourne,VI to Perth,WA (Australia) with 226 passengers, was enroute near Esperance,WA (Australia) when the crew received a request by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority to assist a sea rescue mission for a raft drifting about 95nm off the coast of Esperance. The raft had an emergency locator beacon on board, a fixed wing maritime plane had located the raft but needed to return to base and a maritime Hercules C130 had not yet reached the raft, rescue forces however did not want to lose sight of the raft and therefore asked the Qantas flight to keep an eye on the raft. The aircraft set course towards the raft, the Hercules however reached the raft before the Qantas, so that the Boeing continued its journey to Perth where the airplane landed safely just 5 minutes behind schedule.The Australian Maritime Safety Authority reported, that three people were rescued off the life raft, which had come off a sinking fishing vessel. The fishermen had a digital emergency locator beacon with them which alerted rescue forces. The help by Qantas was requested because rescuers didn't want to lose sight of the raft once the raft had been visually located but the small airplane had to return.
Qantas confirmed the diversion saying it was obviously something they would participate in. The Hercules made it to the raft before the Qantas, so the Boeing wasn't needed in the end and continued its journey to Perth.
I hear you Sunstar, there are far too many boat's having difficulties these days. It's just such a good thing Qantas are always there to help out when it's needed.
Be it, helping Jetstar when they can't fly out of Honolulu, or rescuing people after the Bali bombings, or taking Aussies out of Mumbai after the bombings. They just seem to be more Aussie than any other airlines.
Good job done by the crew! Im sure all Qantas pilots are willing and where able would help out other people in need.
I'm sure like all other humanitarian event's Qantas would do this out of good will.
Be it, helping Jetstar when they can't fly out of Honolulu, or rescuing people after the Bali bombings, or taking Aussies out of Mumbai after the bombings. They just seem to be more Aussie than any other airlines.
Good job done by the crew! Im sure all Qantas pilots are willing and where able would help out other people in need.
I'm sure like all other humanitarian event's Qantas would do this out of good will.
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Good job done by the crew!
Then they would have had to do some sums to work out how long they could hold there.
Surprised they haven't been called heroes.
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AFAIK, within legislation, you're entitled to claim compensation from the time you divert from your planned flight until it's resumed. Obvious messy stuff there if you have to divert for fuel to complete the flight, but the act/regs do provide.
G'day
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Seems a very smart decision to operate with 200+ pax, into marginal VMC conditions, drizzle, broken 2500', with two other aircraft, all aiming to get to the same place at the same time. Not sure how much extra juice they would have burnt, but I'm guessing at least 4-5 tonne...cowboys....
Cowboys? Woop Woop - just another wind-up merchant.
It says they "set course for the raft" which means they didn't actually get there. (the Herc beat them)
As for "taking Aussies out of Mumbai after the bombings" I am sure that was just a scheduled service.
It says they "set course for the raft" which means they didn't actually get there. (the Herc beat them)
As for "taking Aussies out of Mumbai after the bombings" I am sure that was just a scheduled service.
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Just as a footnote, the fisherman were actually smart enough to have a new-style 406MHz EPIRB... but failed to register it... thus leading to more work on the part of the searchers...
A registered 406 MHz beacon will allow the Australian Maritime Safety Authority's (AMSA) Rescue Coordination Centre to access the registration database and find contact details; details of registered vessels, aircraft or vehicles; and details of up to three nominated emergency contacts who may be contacted if a beacon is activated and contact cannot be made.
I suspect these blokes were pretty average in their fishing and maintenance skills... but that's what searchers and emergency response teams have to put up with all the time... looking for people who got into trouble because they were lax with preparation...
Kudos to the Qantas team for their assistance, despite the naysayers. If the naysayers were in the liferaft, they'd have a whole lot different opinion of Qantas assistance in looking for them, I'll wager......
A registered 406 MHz beacon will allow the Australian Maritime Safety Authority's (AMSA) Rescue Coordination Centre to access the registration database and find contact details; details of registered vessels, aircraft or vehicles; and details of up to three nominated emergency contacts who may be contacted if a beacon is activated and contact cannot be made.
I suspect these blokes were pretty average in their fishing and maintenance skills... but that's what searchers and emergency response teams have to put up with all the time... looking for people who got into trouble because they were lax with preparation...
Kudos to the Qantas team for their assistance, despite the naysayers. If the naysayers were in the liferaft, they'd have a whole lot different opinion of Qantas assistance in looking for them, I'll wager......
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'am sure the QANTAS SPIN TEAM will waddle into this one.
Another rumour:
Qantas to fly A-380 overhead to welcome "Our Jessica" back to Oz, to the tune ....I stiil call Australia home !
Strewth -I'm almost tearing up at the thought
Another rumour:
Qantas to fly A-380 overhead to welcome "Our Jessica" back to Oz, to the tune ....I stiil call Australia home !
Strewth -I'm almost tearing up at the thought
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".....so that the Boeing continued its journey to Perth where the airplane landed safely just 5 minutes behind schedule."
Good to hear it landed safely after such a traumatic occurrence.
Good to hear it landed safely after such a traumatic occurrence.
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Used to happen quite a bit to be diverted to some poor buggers floating around with just their eskies for company, especially fishing boats, who had snagged their nets, on underwater objects, that pulled the whole box and dice under, never quite sure what we achieved but I guess they appreciated the company, until some help arrived. But then we were Govt owned and nobody gave a toss to the cost, and the PAX enjoyed the adventure of it all. Thought nothing of taking a DC9 down to 10,000 ft and keeping them in sight, oh well times have changed, but glad they still divert even if it turns into a sh%$ fight over who pays, still glad to see human lives are still worth something....
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Cost
Who bears the cost?
My 2c worth:
I have no idea whether a carrier can claim from an insurer or an appropriate official body, but just as by convention ships will divert to aid others in distress, I see no reason why other assets (such as aircraft) would not also do so. Yes I am aware the cost of diverting an aircraft may be greater than that of a ship.
But the benefit may be that that day, Qantas got its name in the paper for a good-news, warm-n-fuzzy reason, rather than for a (completely proper and by-the-book) air return.
Someone out there read that story and said "good old Qantas, they're still there when the chips are down" and might favour QF over a competior when next they choose.
Did anyone ask about the cost when Gordon Vette's NZ 767 helped that lost Cessna ferry pilot some years back?
My 2c worth:
I have no idea whether a carrier can claim from an insurer or an appropriate official body, but just as by convention ships will divert to aid others in distress, I see no reason why other assets (such as aircraft) would not also do so. Yes I am aware the cost of diverting an aircraft may be greater than that of a ship.
But the benefit may be that that day, Qantas got its name in the paper for a good-news, warm-n-fuzzy reason, rather than for a (completely proper and by-the-book) air return.
Someone out there read that story and said "good old Qantas, they're still there when the chips are down" and might favour QF over a competior when next they choose.
Did anyone ask about the cost when Gordon Vette's NZ 767 helped that lost Cessna ferry pilot some years back?
Last edited by Taildragger67; 19th May 2010 at 06:23.
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I was under the impression AMSA have a budget to fund such costs.
For a small diversion it may not be worth the trouble but if a B767 circled for an hour or so then had to go to Adelaide for Fuel.....they might think about a bit harder.
For a small diversion it may not be worth the trouble but if a B767 circled for an hour or so then had to go to Adelaide for Fuel.....they might think about a bit harder.
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Christ! What's with all the negativity around here?!?!?!
If it were Virgin Blue mentioned above, everyone would be cheering. Anything to do with Qantas is just bad news isn't it?
If this is how the naysayers views such an occurance, I'd truly hate to see what they'd be like if the QF pilots declined AMSA's request, and continued to PER ops normal! Imagine the negativity then! QF are damned if they do, and damned if they don't! I guess you just can't make some people happy.
Anyway, rant over... please continue. AND good work to the crew.
If it were Virgin Blue mentioned above, everyone would be cheering. Anything to do with Qantas is just bad news isn't it?
If this is how the naysayers views such an occurance, I'd truly hate to see what they'd be like if the QF pilots declined AMSA's request, and continued to PER ops normal! Imagine the negativity then! QF are damned if they do, and damned if they don't! I guess you just can't make some people happy.
Anyway, rant over... please continue. AND good work to the crew.
From MSN
Lets hope this will be a good news story.
Conditions are poor and "quite dangerous" where a US teen is believed to have hit trouble during her Jessica Watson-style sailing bid around the world.
But Australian authorities involved in the search mission say hopes are high 16-year-old Abby Sunderland will be found safe and well.
Abby was past the halfway mark of her solo sailing trip on Thursday and sailing just off Australia's west coast when she hit trouble, activating two manual distress beacons.
A Qantas passenger jet, tasked by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, is expected to be the first on the scene about 2000 nautical miles west-south-west of Perth.
It will depart at first light.
"Once it gets to the position, we're hoping they will be able to sight Abby's yacht and make contact with her over the radio," AMSA spokeswoman Carly Lusk told ABC Radio.
"Conditions in the area at the moment are extremely poor.
"We're experiencing in that area 90km/h winds ... so it's quite dangerous."
Abby spoke to her parents in the United States just an hour before the distress beacons were activated, telling them she'd been knocked down several times due to the weather.
Several ships, co-ordinated by the international search effort which also includes French and US authorities, are on their way to the area.
Ms Lusk said as always, there was high hopes of a positive outcome.
"Going by the drift of the actual beacon in the water, we're hoping that she is still inside the vessel which is obviously hopefully upright."
Abby's water-activated beacon was not set off.
Abigail's father believes his daughter's boat has flipped upside down and says the family is praying for a miracle.
Laurence Sunderland was speaking with his 16-year-old daughter by satellite phone about engine problems she was having about 4am western US time (2100 Thursday AEST) when the phone line cut out, he told ABC radio on Friday.
"She had quite a boisterous night at 60 knots," Mr Sunderland said.
"She was knocked down three times and the radar was ripped off the boat, and she had an engine issue.
"She's definitely had her cage rattled last night but after dealing with the engine issue and getting things up and running everything seemed to be fine."
Mr Sunderland said he thought Abby was simply charging her phone batteries when the call dropped, but shortly afterwards, he received a call from US search and rescue saying her emergency beeper had been set off.
He initially thought her automatic beacon had set off accidentally due to the high winds, but soon discovered Abby had set off her hand-held emergency beeper.
Mr Sunderland now believes his daughter's boat is upside down in the water.
"Right now we're hoping that if indeed the boat is upside down then that the keel is actually off the boat and giving the boat a positive flotation factor and that she is inside the bubble, safe," he said.
Asked if he believed Abby would be able to handle the situation calmly, Mr Sunderland said he hoped so.
"However, we all have breaking points and she's had a couple of boisterous days out there.
"It's going to take a bit of a miracle."
But Australian authorities involved in the search mission say hopes are high 16-year-old Abby Sunderland will be found safe and well.
Abby was past the halfway mark of her solo sailing trip on Thursday and sailing just off Australia's west coast when she hit trouble, activating two manual distress beacons.
A Qantas passenger jet, tasked by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, is expected to be the first on the scene about 2000 nautical miles west-south-west of Perth.
It will depart at first light.
"Once it gets to the position, we're hoping they will be able to sight Abby's yacht and make contact with her over the radio," AMSA spokeswoman Carly Lusk told ABC Radio.
"Conditions in the area at the moment are extremely poor.
"We're experiencing in that area 90km/h winds ... so it's quite dangerous."
Abby spoke to her parents in the United States just an hour before the distress beacons were activated, telling them she'd been knocked down several times due to the weather.
Several ships, co-ordinated by the international search effort which also includes French and US authorities, are on their way to the area.
Ms Lusk said as always, there was high hopes of a positive outcome.
"Going by the drift of the actual beacon in the water, we're hoping that she is still inside the vessel which is obviously hopefully upright."
Abby's water-activated beacon was not set off.
Abigail's father believes his daughter's boat has flipped upside down and says the family is praying for a miracle.
Laurence Sunderland was speaking with his 16-year-old daughter by satellite phone about engine problems she was having about 4am western US time (2100 Thursday AEST) when the phone line cut out, he told ABC radio on Friday.
"She had quite a boisterous night at 60 knots," Mr Sunderland said.
"She was knocked down three times and the radar was ripped off the boat, and she had an engine issue.
"She's definitely had her cage rattled last night but after dealing with the engine issue and getting things up and running everything seemed to be fine."
Mr Sunderland said he thought Abby was simply charging her phone batteries when the call dropped, but shortly afterwards, he received a call from US search and rescue saying her emergency beeper had been set off.
He initially thought her automatic beacon had set off accidentally due to the high winds, but soon discovered Abby had set off her hand-held emergency beeper.
Mr Sunderland now believes his daughter's boat is upside down in the water.
"Right now we're hoping that if indeed the boat is upside down then that the keel is actually off the boat and giving the boat a positive flotation factor and that she is inside the bubble, safe," he said.
Asked if he believed Abby would be able to handle the situation calmly, Mr Sunderland said he hoped so.
"However, we all have breaking points and she's had a couple of boisterous days out there.
"It's going to take a bit of a miracle."
