The U.S. Coast Guard jumped into action as an elderly person aboard a cruise ship was experiencing medical issues offshore Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
When Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu watchstanders learned on Wednesday afternoon that a 72-year-old man on a Holland America Line cruise ship was suffering from multiple strokes, the duty flight surgeon recommended he be medevaced in the next 20 hours, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a press release Friday.
The cruise ship was 300 miles offshore but the distance did not keep the coast guard crew members from planning his rescue.
An HC-130 Hercules airplane crew and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew neared the cruise ship, called Koningsdam, on Thursday when it had moved to a point about 57 miles from Honolulu, and they set to work to get the man the help he needed.
Video footage shows the moment the helicopter hovered over the cruise ship and readied to hoist the man into the craft. The man was seen being lifted through the air, and at one point, a U.S. Coast Guard crew member grabbed his hand to reassure him:
Following the rescue, the man was taken to Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu and has since reportedly been listed in stable condition, per the U.S. Coast Guard’s news release.
“By combining the skills of our crews and the specialized capabilities of our aircraft, we are able to respond to emergencies across the vast Pacific region. Teamwork is critically important for medevacs, which are among the most time-sensitive and high-stakes missions we take on,” stated Lt. Cmdr. John Stockton, HC-130 Hercules aircraft commander, Air Station Barbers Point.
According to the Mayo Clinic, a stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when a person’s blood supply to part of their brain is blocked or reduced.
“It’s crucial to get medical treatment right away. Getting emergency medical help quickly can reduce brain damage and other stroke complications,” the site read.
In September, the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast Division made a daring rescue in open waters of a man and his dog as Hurricane Helene roared toward the coast of Florida, per Breitbart News.
