Cruise Ship Passenger Airlifted At Night After Suffering Stroke At Sea

A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) helicopter crew flew more than 200 miles into the Gulf of Mexico last week to medevac a Carnival cruise ship passenger suffering a possible stroke, the service said.

The USCG's District Eight watchstanders received a call Wednesday morning regarding an unnamed 53-year-old man aboard the Carnival Valor cruise ship who experienced stroke-like symptoms, Al.com reported, citing a statement from the maritime force released a day after the rescue.

A responding Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew arrived at the scene, which was around 218 miles off the coast of Louisiana’s Southwest Pass, according to the outlet.

The USCG did not disclose when the helicopter crew arrived for the medevac, but photos of the operation released by the department suggested it happened at night.

The Dolphin rescue helicopter later airlifted the passenger and a Carnival Valor nurse and transferred them both to University Medical Center in New Orleans, authorities said.

The man was last reported in stable condition, according to the USCG.

Other details regarding the patient and his condition were not disclosed by the force.

The maritime department performed a similar nighttime medevac back in November when a woman suffering from internal bleeding was airlifted from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship more than 200 miles off the coast of North Carolina.

Officials aboard Royal Caribbean's Anthem Of The Seas cruise ship contacted the USCG and asked for a medical evacuation from the vessel as an ailing woman needed hospital care.

In response, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and an HC-130 Hercules transport plane flew around 231 miles to the cruise ship from the Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City on Nov. 19.

The Jayhawk hoisted the woman and a family member aboard the helicopter, while the Hercules crew provided aerial coverage. The former then flew to New Hanover Regional Hospital in Wilmington, North Carolina.

The current condition of the woman is unknown.

"Launching far offshore and at night can be complex and challenging," Chief Petty Officer Brian Gainey, operations unit watchstander at the Fifth District command center, was quoted as saying.

"Cases like this demonstrate how the hard work and consistent training from our members allow us to safely carry out missions and successfully help those in need," Gainey explained.