HOUSTON — Coast Guard aircrews are bringing a 66-year-old man to the hospital from the Carnival cruise ship Triumph, which is about 200 miles southeast of Galveston Friday night.
At approximately 4 p.m., the captain of the Triumph called Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders and stated that a passenger had suffered a heart attack while over 260 miles from shore.
Watchstanders launched aircrews aboard an Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter at 6. p.m. to perform the hoist and an Air Station Corpus Christi HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane at 8:10 p.m. to support the helicopter with long range communications. The helicopter crew had to refuel on rigs in the gulf on the way out and back to make the trip safely.
Both aircrews were on scene before 8:40 p.m. when the man and one of the ship's nurses were hoisted aboard the helicopter. They are scheduled to arrive at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston at around 11 p.m.
He is reported in stable condition.