A sandstorm sweeps across the sea and obscures the view. A medical emergency forces the cruise ship Aida to end the journey prematurely.
Tenerife – The Aidanova ship is cruising the Canary Islands when a medical emergency disrupts the itinerary. On Tuesday, February 14, a day at sea is on the agenda when noisy cruise updates a person suddenly needs medical help. She will first receive emergency medical care on board the Aida. But because that’s not enough, the crew decides to call a rescue helicopter – but a sandstorm makes landing impossible.
Sandstorms mostly occur in desert areas. Due to the dry climate, the sand is whirled up very quickly. There are often strong pressure and temperature differences, which in turn create low-pressure areas. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), the sand particles are carried to great heights with the help of turbulent and strong gusts of wind. Winds are only considered storms when they have reached a speed of 74.9 kilometers per hour. Due to the flat desert, the sand and dust are quickly carried into the cities. And even across the sea, as on February 14th.
However, sandstorms on Tenerife are not uncommon. You can also restrict air travel. A couple from Kassel was able to do the planned a few years ago Do not travel to the Canary Islands, because the plane could not land due to the fog cloud of sand. The fine grains spread quickly everywhere.
Person on the Aida needs medical help – but sandstorm complicates the situation
While the person is waiting for medical help, the sandstorm itself becomes dangerous for the rescue helicopter. Due to the heavy fog caused by dust from the Sahara, he couldn’t see anything. That makes landing on the Aida impossible. Therefore, the crew decides to dock at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. They increase the speed loudly Express to almost 20 knots and thus reach the port eleven hours earlier at five in the morning. The person can receive medical care in the hospital on land. Nothing is known about the current state of health.
The Aidanova runs regularly from Tenerife or Gran Canaria to Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Madeira. A tour lasts a total of seven days, after which there is a change of passengers. On February 16, the cruise ship is still in Tenerife waiting for all new passengers to arrive on board. Most recently, love was fought on board the Aida. Gregor Motzer from Göttingen is looking for “heart on board” in the new dating show on VOX love and tries to convince Bianca on the high seas.
Facts about the Aida cruise ship
length | 337 m |
speed | 17 kn |
draft | 8.6m |
Number of guest cabins | 2626 |
decks | 20 |
Source: Aida |
Germany was also in the past affected by the Sahara dust. According to an interview by National Geographic with Thomas Werner from the DWD, the sandstorm hits Germany about five to fifteen times a year. It sweeps from Morocco via France to Germany. You can recognize it by the yellow-reddish atmosphere in the air. (mm)
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