Coast Guard Medevacs Crewmember of Marella Explorer 2 Cruise Ship to St. Croix After Suffering Heart Attack

  • Staff Consortium
  • November 27, 2019
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The crew of a Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter assists a Filipino crewmember medevaced earlier from the Marella Explorer 2 cruise ship approximately 50 nautical miles southeast of St. Croix. By. U.S. Coast Guard District 7 PADET San Juan

The crew of a Coast Guard helicopter was able to medevac a 29-year-old Filipino crew member from the Marella Explorer 2 cruise ship Monday, approximately 50 nautical miles southeast of St. Croix, the Coast Guard made known in a release.

Coast Guard watchstanders received medevac request from the Marella Explorer 2 at 10:47 p.m. Monday, after one of their crew members experienced a heart attack and required immediate medical attention ashore.

Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan dispatched a crew aboard a MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen to conduct the medevac. The rescue helicopter arrived on scene and the crew deployed their rescue swimmer to assess the patient’s condition, the Coast Guard said. The cruise ship crew member was hoisted aboard the aircraft and transported to St. Croix, where they were received by awaiting Emergency Medical Services EMS personnel, who transported the patient by ambulance to the Juan F. Luis Hospital.

“All players involved during this case performed admirably, especially during a moonless, low illumination evening on night vision goggles,” said Lt. j.g. Travis Cox, MH-65 Dolphin helicopter co-pilot for the medevac. “The training of the helicopter crew, along with the outstanding adaptability of Sector San Juan, St. Croix EMS, and the crew of Marella Explorer 2 allowed smooth execution of this medevac.”

The cruise ship was transiting from Bridegetown, Barbados to Tortola, British Virgin Islands, when the incident was reported to the Coast Guard.

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