Medical Emergency on Mein Schiff Relax: Lifeboat Rescue off Tenerife

Von Kreuzfahrt - Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
On the night of February 13 to 14, 2026, a medical incident occurred on board the Mein Schiff Relax shortly after departing from Santa Cruz de Tenerife. A crew member required urgent medical assistance on land. Since the ship was still in immediate proximity to the port at that time, those in charge, in coordination with Spanish Maritime Search and Rescue, decided against initiating a helicopter evacuation. Instead, the rescue boat Salvamar Tenerife was dispatched to safely transfer the patient.

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This sequence of events corrects initial assumptions that a helicopter was deployed. This impression likely arose from a confusion with an incident in December 2025, where a passenger on the Mein Schiff Relax indeed had to be airlifted. However, the current situation in February allowed for the logistically simpler and often safer transfer via boat through the ship's lee-side shell door.

Following the successful handover of the crew member to emergency services at the port of Tenerife, the Mein Schiff Relax continued its voyage towards Lanzarote. The schedule was hardly affected by the maneuver, and the ship reached its next destination port on time. For the guests on board, operations continued largely undisturbed.

The incident once again demonstrates how well the rescue chains function in the Canary Islands. Whether by helicopter on the high seas or by boat near the coast—the safety and medical care of crew and passengers are always the top priority at sea. We wish the affected crew member a speedy recovery.