Vancouver Island coast guards were among the many emergency rescue personnel involved in a high-stakes cruise ship rescue in US waters this past weekend.
On Sunday, August 24th, roughly 145 nautical miles from west of Cape Flattery, Washington, two passengers aboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship were reported to be in urgent need of medical evacuation.
The passengers were a 52-year-old woman, who had gone into sudden cardiac arrest and had to be placed on life support; as well as a 99-year-old man suffering from complete esophageal blockage.
Aircraft crews were dispatched from both sides of the border and put into immediate action.
The US helicopter lifted the 99-year-old from the vessel and completed a wing-to-wing transfer with Life Flight Network at Neah Bay, Washington.
The Canadian helicopter hoisted up the 52-year-old woman and transported her to the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria.
“This case demonstrates how our specialized expertise and dedicated training allows us to rapidly respond to these types of time-sensitive medical evacuations at sea,“ said Cmdr. Kelly Higgins, commanding officer of U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles.
“The expert coordination between the Canadian Coast Guard, the Life Flight Network, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the U.S. Coast Guard ensured this patient received the care they needed.”
