Coast Guard crew medevac 1 from cruise ship off North Carolina coast

Coast Guard aircrew medevac man from cruise ship Anthem of the Seas off North Carolina coast — Archive image: a student at the Aviation Technical Training Center (ATTC) in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, plunges from an Air Station Elizabeth City MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter into the Pasquotank River, Feb. 14, 2017. Four aviation survival technician (AST) A school students at ATTC graduated and became ASTs.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Nate Littlejohn.

WILMINGTON, N.C. — The Coast Guard medevac a man from a cruise ship approximately 150 miles off the coast of North Carolina, Friday.

A crewmember aboard the cruise ship Anthem of the Seas contacted the Coast Guard at approximately 2:45 p.m. and notified them that they had a passenger who was reportedly showing symptoms of appendicitis and was requesting medical care.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Fifth District command center launched an aircrew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina to assist.

Coast Guard aircrew medevac a man from cruise ship Anthem of the Seas off North Carolina coast — Archive image: a U.S. Coast Guard Jayhawk Helicopter stands tall at Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina on Sunday. At Air Station Elizabeth City, C-130 Hercules and H-60 Jayhawk aircrews are ready to respond to calls for assistance 24 hours a day.
U.S. Coast Guard illustration by Auxiliarist David Lau.

Once on scene, the aircrew hoisted up the man, accompanied by a nurse, and transported them to New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington.

“The crew of the Anthem of the Seas had a textbook response to the situation,” said Chief Petty Officer Ryan Langley, command duty officer during the case. “They contacted us as soon as possible and diverted to facilitate a faster and more efficient rescue.”

-USCG-