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Journey of Titanic memorial cruise delayed by medical emergency onboard
Mary Beth Crocker, left, and her husband Tom Dearing from Newport Ky. pose for pictures in period costume as they disembark the MS Balmoral Titanic memorial cruise ship at its first stop in Cobh, Ireland, Monday, April 9, 2012. Nearly 100 years after the Titanic went down, the cruise with the same number of passengers aboard is setting sail to retrace the ship's voyage, including a visit to the location where it sank.With 1,309 passengers aboard, the MS Balmoral will follow the same route as the Titanic and organizers are trying to recreate the onboard experience minus the disaster from the food to a band playing music from that era. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
LONDON - A cruise ship retracing the route of the Titanic had to interrupt its journey on Tuesday because of a medical emergency on board, organizers said.
The Titanic Memorial Cruise — on its way to the North Atlantic site where the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank 100 years ago — had to turn back briefly to the Irish coast so that a sick passenger could be airlifted to a hospital.
Organizers did not identify the passenger or describe the ailment, but the BBC reported that one of its cameramen, Tim Rex, was airlifted by rescue helicopter "as a medical precaution."
The 12-night memorial cruise aboard the MS Balmoral left the Irish town of Cobh late Monday to cross the Atlantic, tracing the route of the doomed liner's maiden voyage in April 1912.
Like the Titanic, it began its journey Sunday at southern England's Southampton. After Tuesday's brief delay, the ship resumed its itinerary and is expected to call in Halifax, Canada on Apr. 16 and in New York on Apr. 19.
The ship, which is carrying 1,309 passengers — including relatives of some of the more than 1,500 Titanic passengers who died — seeks to recreate the Titanic experience, minus the disaster. Many passengers, crew members and stewards are dressing in period costumes. Passengers are eating meals from the Titanic's menu, while a live band plays music of the era.
Two special memorial services are to take place over the weekend: The first close to midnight April 14, when the Titanic hit the iceberg, and the second on early April 15, when the ship sank.
The Balmoral is operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.
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AP Titanic Interactive: http://hosted.ap.org/interactives/2012/titanic-100-years/
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