SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard medically evacuated a 57-year-old woman from a cruise ship approximately 80 miles southwest of Monterey Calif., Sunday morning.
At approximately 6:30 a.m., 11th Coast Guard District and Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders received a request for assistance from the crew of the cruise ship Grand Princess for a female passenger suffering a heart attack.
The 11th District’s flight surgeon in Alameda recommended that the patient be medically evacuated and taken to a hospital for emergency care.
A Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew launched, arrived on scene and safely hoisted the woman and the ship’s paramedic. The helicopter crew returned to Monterey at approximately 9:15 a.m., where the woman was transferred to local emergency medical services. Upon landing, the patient was reported to be in stable condition.
“The coordinated effort between the cruise ship, Coast Guard watchstanders and the helicopter rescue crew greatly contributed to a successful and swift rescue,” said Lt. Wes Geyer, Sector San Francisco command duty officer.