Coast Guard Medevacs Cruise Passenger During Tsunami Advisory

The readiness and heroism of the U.S. Coast Guard was on full display during a chaotic Tuesday night. As a distant tsunami advisory put crews on high alert, a different, more personal emergency called them into action.

According to a press release from the Coast Guard, a 71-year-old woman on the cruise ship Carnival Legend was experiencing a cardiac event. The ship was 120 miles off the Washington coast even as the Coast Guard was paying close attention to the ripple effect of the 8.8 earthquake that took place off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula

With one eye on the potential for issues from the pending tsunami, a Coast Guard MH-60 helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria was launched.

The crew reached the cruise ship and hoisted the woman into the aircraft. She was then flown to Air Station Astoria and transferred to a local emergency room.

“While carrying out a critical long-range medical evacuation from a cruise ship, Coast Guard Northwest District units also stood ready to respond to the threat of a distant tsunami. Their ability to answer both calls at once is a powerful testament to the Service’s unwavering dedication to saving lives and protecting the maritime community,” said Cmdr. Neal Corbin, commanding officer of Air Station Astoria.

The successful medical evacuation, performed during a tsunami warning, highlights the Coast Guard’s incredibly difficult but important job.  We tip our hats to the U.S. Coast Guard crew and pray for the swift recovery of the woman who was airlifted.