Significant Maritime Incidents

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Date: 05/11/2026

Thursday, 5 November 2026, 07:40pm - Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre (BMOC), operating as RCC Bermuda, received a satellite call from the Master of the Marshall Islands-registered passenger vessel Seven Seas Splendor. The Master requested a medical evacuation for a passenger experiencing a serious cardiac emergency. The vessel was about 200 nautical miles north of Bermuda at the time. It altered course for Bermuda and arrived off the island early on Friday, 6 November. Overnight, BMOC coordinated arrangements with the ship’s local agent, Bermuda Pilots, the Bermuda Hospitals Board and emergency medical services. Despite heavy seas, the pilot boat St. David transferred the patient and an accompanying ship’s doctor at approximately 8:00 a.m. They were landed at Ordnance Island, where an ambulance was waiting to take the patient to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. The pilot boat later returned the ship’s doctor to the vessel, and Seven Seas Splendor resumed its voyage shortly after 10:00 a.m.


Date: 01/11/2026

Sunday, 1st November 2026, 06:00am - Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre (BMOC), operating as RCC Bermuda, received a call from the U.S. Coast Guard about a passenger on board the MSC Meraviglia who had suffered a serious cardiac emergency. BMOC confirmed with King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) that it could provide the specialist cardiac care required. The vessel, which was then about 845 nautical miles from Bermuda, diverted to the island, and BMOC assumed coordination of the response. Over the next 40 hours, BMOC worked with the ship’s local agent, Bermuda Pilots, the Bermuda Hospitals Board and emergency medical services to arrange the transfer. At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Monday, 2 November, the pilot boat St. David went alongside the vessel near the pilot station and took on the patient, accompanied by members of the ship’s medical team. The patient was landed at Ordnance Island, where an ambulance was waiting, and was taken to KEMH shortly after 10:15 p.m. MSC Meraviglia then continued its passage to Boston from Portugal.


Date: 26/10/2026

Monday, 26th October 2026, 04:26pm - Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre (BMOC) received a call from the Royal Bermuda Regiment Coast Guard. A member of the public had reported a vessel with its engine raised and people on board paddling east of Darrell’s Island. Using its coastal camera network, BMOC quickly located a center-console vessel with two persons on board, drifting south of Dagger Rocks. BMOC passed the details to Rescue 1, which launched and was on scene by 4:43 p.m. In the meantime, the occupants had anchored the vessel. Rescue 1 found that the boat had run out of fuel and stood by until a friend arrived with fuel. The vessel was safely underway by 5:24 p.m., with all persons on board well. BMOC thanks to the member of the public who reported the incident and reminds boaters to check fuel levels before heading out and to carry a means of calling for help, such as a VHF radio.


Date: 24/10/2026

Saturday, 24th October 2026, 11:45am - Satellite telephone call received by RCC Bermuda from the Master of the Bahamian registered passenger vessel STAR PRIDE reporting a medical emergency on board involving an 81-year-old male passenger.  Ship is currently 140 nautical miles Northwest of Bermuda enroute from Bar Harbor, Maine, USA, to Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. The ship had previously cancelled her scheduled October 23rd to 25th call at Hamilton and St. George's, Bermuda due to expected bad weather enroute.   With no helicopter MEDEVAC options available from the island, the Bermuda Rescue Coordination Centre arranges for a medical evacuation by pilot boat off of St. David's Head at approximately 11:00PM Saturday evening.   An agent is appointed in Bermuda and the King Edward Memorial Hospital begins to provide medical advice working with the ship's doctor while continued assessment of forecast weather conditions remains ongoing.  While the 159 meter long STAR PRIDE continues East towards Bermuda, over the next few hours the vessel's Master and Bermuda Pilots assess all options but conclude that the projected wind and sea conditions appear high risk for the offshore ship to boat transfer of a stretchered passenger, a family member and ship's medical personnel.  A transfer at daylight in calmer waters inshore would greatly delay the ship.   The ship's Captain elects to divert towards Puerto Rico where potential for a helicopter evacuation exists should further deterioration in the patient's condition so require.  ************** https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4634351/coast-guard-aircrew-medevacs-cruise-ship-passenger-150-nautical-miles-north-of/ +++++++++++++ UPDATE 27/10/26 - Press released from Windstar Cruises "Kudos to Captain Jack Billington, his crew and the US Coast Guard today! A sea rescue of a very sick passenger occurred today as the Star Pride made her way south. The seas had not been kind to us for several days because of the remnants of a depression and just plain bad weather up and down the Atlantic coast. What was a repositioning with 2 days in Bermuda cancelled, turned into lots of sea days and no way to get this ill person off safely until we were about 200 miles north of San Juan. The professionalism of this new young captain and his crew was extraordinary. After days of rough seas, mission accomplished in a very short time. The US Coast Guard is simply amazing in their operational skills. Have not heard one negative from any passenger through this entire sailing. Food and service remained the best with 50 mph winds and 16 ft seas! Thank you Captain and Windstar. Well done."


Date: 22/10/2026

Thursday, 22nd October 2026, 04:50pm – The Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre (BMOC), operating as RCC Bermuda, received a 406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) alert. The beacon was registered to a Bermuda-registered Boeing 737-900, and the alert placed it near Dushanbe International Airport in Tajikistan. BMOC checked its beacon records and the Bermuda aircraft registry and confirmed the aircraft was still on the Bermuda register. Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft had recently landed safely at Dushanbe, and BMOC contacted the operator by email. Early the next morning, the operator’s Director of Engineering and Maintenance replied. He confirmed that the alert had been triggered during a scheduled ELT maintenance check after landing, and that the aircraft was operating normally with no distress situation. The incident was confirmed as a false alert, and the case was closed.