Cruise liner limps into Devonport

[Cody Williams]

When Van Gogh came into today, i had noticed it was flying a yellow flag and it was leaning to the starboard side a bit. She was 6 hrs late when she entered devonport after getting caught in very heavy weather (2.5/3m waves and 35/40 knot winds). as a result she had several windows either blown in or smash by waves, this has yet to be made official by the port
 
maybe injuries and/or death on board indicated by the yellow flag?


Van Gogh - Shot 1
Van Gogh - Shot 2

[Aleksi Lindström]

Hi Cody,

Maybe someone knows more but the yellow (Q) flag should indicate that there is no contagious disease on board.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_maritime_signal_flags
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratique

Brgds,
Aleksi

[matthew]

try this links cheers matt

http://www.crwflags.com/FOTW/flags/xf~q.html

[Jens Heri]

Don

[Cody Williams]

It wouldn't suprise me, 10m freak wave is very possible in weather like this

[Cody Williams]

From what i have seen, the flag has never been used in devonport, i have heard, I think it was the Sapphire Princess in Hobart was flying a yellow flag because someone had pasted away on board.

[Nadir Bousseloub]

The Quebec Flag (Yellow) is requesting "Free Pratique". It is customary to fly this flag upon being cleared by Customs and Immigrations. Once cleared, in port, the flag is brought down.
However, this flag wouldn't indicate anything about any medical conditions prohibiting or permitting while in port. Usually, combination of flags, can indicate a message to outside sources..can be found using Pub 102.
 I hope this helps in addition to your links.

[jnrawdon]

I am an ex Port Health Officer, the Q flag says "My Ship is Healthy, I request free Pratique", "Pratique" is the right to hold free intercourse with the port (usually taken totally literally by the crew).
If the ships is carrying persons suspected of having a Quarantinable Disease, it would display flag "L" not "Q"
I am not up to date on the current quarantinable diseases but last time I looked, they were:
Plague
Cholera
Smallpox (that ages me)
Typhus (note, not Typhoid)
Yellow Fever
Louse Borne Relapsing Fever
In other words, these diseases were most threatening.
If there were an unexplained death on board we were usually notified by radio in advance of arrival.