Coast Guard medevacs Aida Perla cruise ship passenger German citizen just off Ponce, Puerto Rico

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 11/14/2019 03:29 PM EST

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U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands
Contact: Coast Guard Puerto Rico PA Office
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Coast Guard medevacs Aida Perla cruise ship passenger German citizen just off Ponce, Puerto Rico

The crew of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter transfers a German citizen passenger who experienced a possible heart attack and was medevaced from the the Aida Perla cruise ship off the southern coast of Ponce, Puerto Rico Nov. 13, 2019. Emergency Medical Services personnel at the Mercedita Airport in Ponce received and transported the patient to the local Saint Lucas Hospital to receive further medical care.

The crew of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter transfers a German citizen passenger who experienced a possible heart attack and was medevaced from the the Aida Perla cruise ship off the southern coast of Ponce, Puerto Rico Nov. 13, 2019. Emergency Medical Services personnel at the Mercedita Airport in Ponce received and transported the patient to the local Saint Lucas Hospital to receive further medical care.

Editor's Note: Click on images for captions and for high resolution version.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The crew of a Coast Guard helicopter medevaced a 74-year-old German citizen passenger from the Aida Perla cruise ship Wednesday, approximately 50 nautical miles south of Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Coast Guard watchstanders received medevac request from the Aida Perla for a man who was experiencing a possible heart attack and required immediate medical attention ashore.

Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan coordinated with the Aida Perla and dispatched a crew aboard a MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen to conduct the medevac. The rescue helicopter arrived on scene and the crew deployed their rescue swimmer to assess the patient’s condition. The man and a cruise ship doctor were hoisted aboard the aircraft and transported to the Mercedita Airport in Ponce, where they were received by awaiting Emergency Medical Services personnel and transported by ambulance to the local Saint Lucas Hospital.

“This case highlighted the professionalism and swift action of the crew of the Aida Perla in ensuring the passenger was prepared for embarkation in the helicopter,” said Lt. Carlos González, MH65 Dolphin helicopter co-pilot for the medevac.  “Our command center in San Juan did an amazing job liaising with local partners and EMS to ensure an expedited transfer of the survivor to a higher level of medical care.”

The cruise ship was transiting from Antigua Barbuda to La Romana, Dominican Republic when the incident was reported to the Coast Guard.

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