Rescue helicopter medevacs ill cruise passenger from ship off Vancouver Island (VIDEO)

A medical evacuation rescue was successfully coordinated last weekend when a cruise ship passenger fell ill and needed to be taken ashore. 

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) Victoria conducted the medical evacuation on Sunday, August 9th, after receiving a request for aid from the cruise ship Ovation of the Seas, located approximately 52 nautical miles northwest of Tofino.

According to JRCC, a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter with the callsign RSCU 915 and a CC-295 Kingfisher airplane were tasked to respond for the operation. 

First the plane arrived at the cruise ship in order to coordinate the medevac and to provide over-watch for the incoming helicopter. 

JRCC sent search and rescue (SAR) technicians—elite military specialists in the Royal Canadian Air Force trained to provide advanced medical care and rescue people in hard-to-reach areas— who were lowered from the helicopter onto the deck. 

There, they assumed care and began preparing the patient for transfer to the hovering helicopter. 

JRCC says that the rescue was completed when the patient and SAR technicians were hoisted back up to the helicopter. 

From there, the patient was transported to a Victoria hospital by helicopter.

The patient’s ailment and status are unknown due to their personal information being protected.  

JRCC Victoria often works with search and rescue partners to identify, task and coordinate the most appropriate resources in situations like these.

The team’s highly trained crews are ready to respond to search and rescue missions on a 24-hour basis and are among the most highly trained specialists in the world, says JRCC.