Coast Guard medevacs 78-year-old U.S. passenger from MS Rotterdam cruise ship near Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Contact: Coast Guard Puerto Rico PA Office Office: 787-729-2381 After Hours: 787-510-7923 7th District Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands online newsroom

Coast Guard medevacs 78-year-old U.S. passenger from MS Rotterdam cruise ship near Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico

 

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard conducted the medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) of a cruise ship passenger from the MS Rotterdam cruise ship Sunday morning, approximately nine nautical miles southwest of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.

Medevac’d is a 78-year-old man, U.S. citizen, who was experiencing various medical conditions along with signs of internal bleeding and required a higher level of care ashore.

Coast Guard watch standers in Sector San Juan received a communication from the crew of the MS Rotterdam cruise ship, requesting Coast Guard assistance to transport the patient to a local hospital. Watch standers directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter that arrived on scene where the aircrew conducted a basket hoist to bring the patient safely aboard the aircraft, and also hoisted the patient’s spouse and cruise ship nurse.

The Coast Guard aircrew transported the group to the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Regional Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where emergency medical personnel received and transported the patient to the Presbyterian Hospital in San Juan.

“This medevac highlighted our ability to work together across multiple entities to save someone in distress,” said Lt. Travis Cox, Air Station Borinquen MH-60 helicopter aircraft commander for the case. “We couldn’t have done it without the professionalism of the MS Rotterdam crew, Sector San Juan, EMS personnel, and Air Station/Base Borinquen members.”

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-USCG-