The US Coast Guard made a back-to-back rescue from Princess Cruises ship Crown Princess, when two passengers suffered medical emergencies.
The ship was located 50 miles off Cape Kumukahi, Hawaii, when the rescues took place.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu was alerted to the medical emergencies on 4th October at around 6 p.m.
The ship’s crew reported that two passengers, a 70-year-old man showing symptoms of a heart attack and an 86-year-old man suffering from internal bleeding, needed immediate evacuation.
Responding promptly, a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Barbers Point arrived the next morning.
The 70-year-old passenger was airlifted first and taken to Hilo Medical Center. Shortly after, a second helicopter was dispatched to evacuate the 86-year-old man, who was also transported to Hilo. Both men are reported to be in stable condition.
The Crown Princess had departed Kahului, Maui, on 3rd October 2024, as it repositioned for a 114-night world cruise from Sydney, Australia.
The medical emergency required the ship to briefly turn back towards Hawaii before resuming its course to its next destination, Moorea, French Polynesia.
After the rescues, the vessel continued its journey as planned, with future stops in New Zealand and a final arrival in Sydney on 26th October 2024.
Medical emergencies do happen
While two back-to-back rescues from the same ship are rare, the U.S. Coast Guard regularly responds to emergencies at sea, particularly in remote areas where access to advanced medical care is limited.
In a similar incident on 23rd September 2024, an 8-year-old boy on board the Royal Princess required emergency assistance for acute appendicitis while the ship sailed 20 miles off the coast of Eureka, California.
Despite challenging conditions with thick fog, the Coast Guard successfully evacuated the boy, who underwent surgery upon reaching a hospital.
Medical evacuations from cruise ships are a frequent necessity, as was seen earlier this year on 22nd August when a 56-year-old woman was airlifted from Carnival Venezia shortly after departing New York for Bermuda. She was transported to a medical facility in New Jersey for urgent care.
Similarly, on 27th April 2024, a 35-year-old crew member aboard Carnival Sunshine had to be airlifted 160 miles off the Florida coast due to a life-threatening condition.
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