The crew of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter from Air Station Borinquen medevaced a 68-year-old woman Wednesday morning from the MS Koningsdam cruise ship near Puerto Rico. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard medevaced a 68-year-old woman Wednesday morning from the MS Koningsdam cruise ship, approximately 36 nautical miles north northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.
Watchstanders with Coast Guard Sector San Juan Command Center were contacted by the crew of the MS Koningsdam stating one of the passengers, who was a U.S. citizen, had sustained a head injury and needed to be taken to a hospital. The watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-65 Dolphin helicopter to medevac the patient from the cruise ship.
The helicopter crew hoisted the patient and cruise ship doctor onboard and transported them to the Centro Medico Hospital in San Juan, where the patient was received by awaiting emergency medical personnel.
"The entire crew utilized our collective experience and training to accomplish this challenging mission efficiently and safely, providing rapid access to high level medical services to the critically injured passenger,” said Lt. Matthew Udkow, Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter pilot."