IMAGERY AVAILABLE: Coast Guard medevacs woman from cruise ship 20 miles west of Shelter Cove

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 11th District Pacific Southwest Contact: 11th District Public Affairs Office: (510) 437-3325 After Hours: (510) 772-8865 11th District online newsroom

Coast Guard medevacs woman from cruise ship 20 miles west of Shelter Cove

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MCKINLEYVILLE, Calif. —  The Coast Guard medevaced a 93-year-old Austrailian National from a cruise ship approximately 20 miles west of Shelter Cove, Friday evening.

Cruise ship Island Princess crewmembers contacted Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders at approximately 5 p.m., requesting assistance for a female passenger requiring immediate medical treatment. 

Sector San Francisco watchstanders transferred the case to Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay due to the cruise ship’s location. Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay launched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to assist the woman. 

Once on scene, the Dolphin crew lowered a rescue swimmer who assisted with hoisting the woman into the helicopter from the cruise ship deck.

The helicopter crew arrived at St. Joseph's Hospital in Eureka at approximately 8 p.m., and transferred the woman to awaiting medical personnel.

The woman's condition is unknown at this time.

"When people go out on the water, things don't always go according to plan," said Lt. Thomas Cogley, the pilot who flew on this case - his first search and rescue case. "That's why we continually train for situations like these. Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better crew to execute this mission.”

-USCG-