Coast Guard medevacs 73-year-old woman from cruise ship 86 miles southwest of San Diego (video available)

News Release

February 20, 2017 U.S. Coast Guard 11th District PA Detachment San Diego Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment San Diego Office: (619) 278-7025 After Hours: (619) 252-1304

Coast Guard medevacs 73-year-old woman from cruise ship
86 miles southwest of San Diego (video available)

 

Editors' Note: Click on image to view and download the video.

SAN DIEGO — The Coast Guard medically evacuated a 73-year-old woman approximately 86 miles southwest of San Diego, Monday.

At approximately 5:15 p.m. Sunday, watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector San Diego received a report from the crew of cruise ship Star Princess stating that a female passenger was experiencing persistent severe abdominal pain.

The Coast Guard duty flight surgeon recommended that the patient be medically evacuated and taken to a hospital for emergency care. At the time, the ship was positioned more than 400 miles southwest of San Diego en route to Ensenada, Mexico. Due to the distance, a rendezvous point was determined to facilitate the medevac.

A Coast Guard Sector San Diego MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter crew was launched at 6 a.m. Monday, arrived at the predetermined position, then safely hoisted the woman from the cruise ship at approximately 7:20 a.m.

At 8 a.m., the helicopter crew returned to Sector San Diego, where the patient was transferred to awaiting EMS.

“While most people are enjoying a long President’s Day weekend, we can’t forget illness and injury don’t take holidays,” said Lt. Tim Nicolet, aircraft commander and pilot of the Jayhawk. “Fortunately for this patient, neither do we. Protecting lives at sea is paramount to what we do and I’m proud to have been a part of this exceptional crew and this rescue effort.”

She was taken to UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest. She was in stable condition.

-USCG-