A helicopter crew from the Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, medevaced two passengers off of a cruise ship approximately 160 miles southeast of Wilmington, in the morning of Aug 17, 2018
A helicopter crew from the Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, medevaced two passengers off of a cruise ship approximately 160 miles southeast of Wilmington, in the morning of Aug 17, 2018. Coast Guard watchstanders at the 5th District headquarters in Portsmouth were contacted by the crew of the cruise ship late on Aug 16 morning, who reported that an 18-year-old male passenger was suffering symptoms of a heart attack and needed medical assistance. The watchstanders directed the ship to change course in order to get closer to shore so a medevac could be conducted. The 'Anthem of the Seas' contacted the Coast Guard again in the evening to request the medevac of an additional passenger, an 82-year-old male, who was also suffering symptoms of a heart attack. Air Station Elizabeth City launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and a HC-130 Hercules airplane crew early Friday morning to medevac the two men. After arriving on scene, the helicopter crew hoisted the two passengers, and a nurse from the cruise ship, and transported them to New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington.
