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SHIP'S
INFORMATION
Le Boreal
is a cruise ship owned and operated by the French cruise line
company Compagnie du Ponant.
Built in 2010, she is a sister vessel of L'Austral and Le Soléal.
The vessel has 132 cabins and suites for 264 passengers and 140
crew members. Le Boreal was put into service on May 6, 2010.
She won the award for "Best Newcomer of the Year – GOLD" from
the European Cruiser Association (EUCRAS).
Incidents
On November 18, 2015 Le Boreal suffered a major engine room fire
which caused the loss of all power and left her drifting. The
captain ordered the ship, with 347 passengers and crew, to be
abandoned early in the morning. A distress call was issued just
after 2 a.m. while it was near Cape Dolphin, the northerly point
of East Falkland, Falkland Islands. The news agency reported
that 90 of the ship's 347 passengers and crew were air-lifted to
safety from life rafts. The sister ship L'Austral responded to
the distress call and took on some passengers.
Working closely with the Falkland Islands Government, British
Forces enacted a major search and rescue plan. Two Sea King
Royal Air Force Search and Rescue helicopters were scrambled,
along with two other support helicopters, a C-130 Hercules and a
Voyager aircraft for command and control. The Royal Navy patrol
vessel HMS Clyde was dispatched to the scene, as were two Dutch
tugs which support British Forces in the Falkland Islands.
Subsequently, all passengers and crew from Le Boreal were
accounted for and being looked after on the Falkland Islands.
The vessel was later reported in a stable condition and the tugs
were assisting to bring her alongside in the Falkland Islands
for a detailed assessment of her condition. In March 2016,
Ponant confirmed that Le Boreal is scheduled to resume service
in May.
In February 2016, a fictitious Arctic accident featuring a
"luxury yacht" called Le Boreal was added to the video game Tom
Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege as part of a new mission called
Operation Black Ice.
Facilities
Le Boreal features one main dining room and one grill
restaurant. The vessel also has the Le Club lounge for
entertainment, a theatre for lectures and film screenings, a
casino, a library and an internet lounge. She also has a
swimming pool, spa and fitness centre. The ship is also equipped
with Zodiac craft for landing.
Mighty Ships
Le Boreal was featured in episode three of the fifth season of
the TV series Mighty Ships. The ship was shown taking tourists
to South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula.
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