Coast Guard medevacs cruise ship passenger near Coghlan Island, Alaska

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News Release

 

Sept. 7, 2017
U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska
Contact: 17th District Public Affairs
Office: (907) 428-4181
After Hours: (907) 321-4513

Coast Guard medevacs cruise ship passenger near Coghlan Island, Alaska

 

 JUNEAU, Alaska - A Station Juneau 45-foot Response Boat - Medium transits in the Gastineau Channel Sept. 1, 2011. The RB-M increases the ability of Station Juneau's boatcrews to respond to emergencies in their 80-mile area of responsibility. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Charly Hengen.
 JUNEAU, Alaska - A Station Juneau 45-foot Response Boat - Medium transits in the Gastineau Channel Sept. 1, 2011. The RB-M increases the ability of Station Juneau's boatcrews to respond to emergencies in their 80-mile area of responsibility. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Charly Hengen. Stock photo.

 

JUNEAU, Alaska— A Coast Guard Station Juneau 45-foot Response Boat – Medium crew medevaced a 69-year-old male from the cruise ship Norwegian Pearl near Coghlan Island, Alaska, Thursday.

 

The RB-M crew transferred the cruise ship passenger to awaiting emergency personnel in Auke Bay.

 

Coast Guard Seventeenth District watchstanders received a request from the crew of the Norwegian Pearl to transport the passenger when commercial air ambulance services were unavailable due to weather. Watchstanders briefed the duty flight surgeon who recommended medevac within eight hours. The Norwegian Pearl was scheduled to depart Skagway and transit to Glacier Bay. Watchstanders briefed Sector Juneau watchstanders who requested the launch of the RB-M crew.

 

“Increased cruise ship traffic raises the potential for emergency responses during the summer months,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Kyle Gee, a Sector Juneau watchstander. “Coast Guard crews train throughout the year in preparation for calls that can come in day or night, and our crew from Juneau demonstrated excellent teamwork in their response to this case.”

 

Weather in Skagway was reported as calm, low visibility and low ceilings.