Archive image: A U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter aircrew conducts a search and rescue (SAR) exercise during a joint water rescue training with Puerto Rico Army National Guard members.
U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Felix Ortiz Rivera.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter aircrew conducted the medevac of a passenger from the cruise ship Celebrity Apex approximately 24 nautical miles north of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Thursday, December 11, 2025, at morning.
A 65-year-old man suffered from multiple medical conditions which required the patient to receive a higher level of care at a land-based hospital. At the time of the medical emergency, the Celebrity Apex was transiting from St. Kitts to Port Canaveral Florida.
“I’m proud of the teamwork that resulted in a successful patient transport from the Celebrity Apex to a higher level of care,” said Lt. Alberto Raymond, Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-60T Jayhawk aircraft co-pilot for the case. “Thank you to the crews of the Celebrity Apex, our team in Sector San Juan, and Air Station Borinquen. All our training is for moments like this, and I’m grateful we could help save a life.”
Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan received a communication from the Celebrity Apex at 1:37 a.m., Thursday, requesting a medevac (medical evacuation) for the patient. After carefully assessing potential risks and hazards and the patient’s information, vital signs and time-to-care considerations, the medevac request was granted and arranged to take place at sunrise.
The patient, accompanied by his wife, was transported with the assistance of local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel to the Centro Medico Hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico to receive a higher level of care.
U.S. Coast Guard video.
U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan.
U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen.
U.S. Coast Guard Southeast.
U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area.
Sector San Juan watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-60T Jayhawk Medium-Range Recovery Helicopter, which rendezvoused with the cruise ship Celebrity Apex. Once overhead, the MH-60T Jayhawk MRR Helicopter aircrew deployed their rescue swimmer aboard the cruise ship to assess the situation and work with cruise ship personnel to prepare for the medevac. The Coast Guard rescue helicopter aircrew lowered a rescue litter to the cruise ship deck that was utilized to hoist the patient, and they also used a rescue basket to hoist the patient’s wife onboard the aircraft.
Once the MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew recovered their rescue swimmer, the patient and his wife were transported to the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where they were received by awaiting Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel and transported to the Centro Medico Hospital in San Juan.
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