A Coast Guard aircrew medically evacuated an ill man Tuesday afternoon off the cruise ship Norwegian Joy, just 33 miles off the coast of Coos Bay.
An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Sector North Bend hoisted a 61 year old Filipino man reportedly suffering heart complications and transported him to the sector’s air base. He was then transferred to a Life Flight Network aircrew and flown to Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend in Springfield for further care.
The 13th Coast Guard District Command Center received the initial call for assistance at 12:40pm from search and rescue coordinators at the Air Force Joint Rescue Coordination Center. A launch of the North Bend aircrew was directed at 1:36pm after conferring with the duty flight surgeon.
The Dolphin aircrew arrived on scene with the Norwegian Joy at 2:04pm and conducted a hoist. The aircrew landed in North Bend at 3:15pm and transferred the patient to a Life Flight Network aircrew for further care and transportation to Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend in Springfield, Ore.
Petty Officer 1st Class Kassandra Hunter, avionics electrical technician, Lt. Cassandra Hawley, MH-65 Dolphin pilot, Lt. Cori Sanchez, MH-65 Dolphin pilot.
The condition of the patient is unknown at this time.
