Coast Guard medevacs MS Rotterdam cruise ship passenger just off San Juan, 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 MS Rotterdam cruise ship passenger just off San Juan, Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico —Coast Guard Station San Juan medevaced a cruise ship passenger from the MS Rotterdam cruise ship Monday morning, just off San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico.

Medevaced is an 84-year-old man, U.S. citizen, who was experiencing an acute pulmonary condition 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 medevac a passenger to a local hospital. The MS Rotterdam was approximately 84 nautical miles northeast of Puerto Rico when the incident was reported to the Coast Guard.  Watch standers directed the launch of a Coast Guard 45-Station San Juan Response Boat Medium that rendezvoused with the cruise ship just off San Juan Harbor and embarked the patient, his wife, and a cruise ship nurse.

“We our glad to help this patient get to the hospital and receive the shore-based medical care he required,” said Chief Warrant Officer Eric Lyle, Station San Juan officer in charge.  “I commend the Coast Guard watch standers, local EMS and Station San Juan boat crew for their response, excellent coordination and the safe execution of this medevac that was carried out in some challenging sea-state conditions.”

The Coast Guard boat crew transported the patient to Coast Guard Base San Juan, where emergency medical personnel received and transported the patient to the Centro Medico Hospital in San Juan.

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