Coast Guard Makes Important Airlift From Carnival Cruise Ship

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The U.S. Coast Guard has once again come to the rescue – this time on behalf of an elderly passenger onboard Carnival Venezia. 

The 85-year-old woman, whose identity has been kept anonymous to protect her privacy, began to experience stroke-like symptoms about two days into her Eastern Caribbean sailing – which embarked from New York City (Manhattan), New York, on October 4, 2024. 

While itโ€™s not clear which specific symptoms this guest had, some of the most common signs of a stroke include trouble speaking or slurred speech, cognitive difficulties, numbness or paralysis, vision impairments, headaches, and trouble walking. 

As early intervention is critical in the recovery of stroke patients, the medical personnel onboard the 4,208-person vessel didnโ€™t take any chances and were quick to call in the Coast Guard to perform an emergency evacuation.ย 

Thankfully, the airlift was successfully performed without a hitch on Sunday, October 6, 2024, while the ship was an estimated 98 miles off the coast of North Carolinaโ€™s Cape Lookout. 

The first responders, who came from a Coast Guard Air Facility in Charleston, South Carolina, arrived on the scene in an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter. 

Video footage of the incident shows part of the hoisting process as the woman was brought onboard – in which a first responder uses a rope and harness to rappel down to the deck below. 

The woman was successfully brought to Wilmington Airport in North Carolina, where she was transported to New Hanover Wilmington Regional Medical Center to receive the appropriate care.

The Vista-class vessel then proceeded on its original course – with no known delay to the itinerary. 

Before the 135,225-gross ton ship returns to New York on October 14, she will call on Nassau, Bahamas; Half Moon Cay, the cruise lineโ€™s private island destination in the Bahamas; Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; and Puerto Plata / Amber Cove, Dominican Republic. 

U.S. Coast Guard is Home to Trained Heroes

For most cruisers, an airlift will not become a surprise part of their itinerary. Of the millions of people who take a cruise each year, the emergency rescue only becomes necessary for a select few. 

If you do get sick, the majority of ailments can be treated onboard in the medical center, which is fully staffed by capable doctors and nurses and functions like an urgent care on land. 

But for the unlucky few who find themselves too ill to continue with their sailing, they can rest assured that they will be in good hands with the U.S. Coast Guard.

Carnival Cruise Line Air Force Airlift
Carnival Cruise Line Air Force Airlift (Photo Credit: 920th RQW)

The Coast Guard, which is one of six sectors of the U.S. Armed Forces, puts its members through rigorous training that includes first aid, helicopter deployment, swimming, physical conditioning, and more, so they are always ready to act at a momentโ€™s notice. 

Read Also: Secret Codes on Cruise Ships Only Crew Members Know!

The coast guard is also quite familiar with the various cruise lines and have had multiple chances in the past to put their skills to the test in real-life scenarios – including onboard Carnival Venezia. 

Most recently, a 56-year-old guest was evacuated mid-sailing from the 2023-launched vessel on August 22, 2024. Similar to the current situation, the passenger experienced a medical emergency during a 5-night cruise to the Bahamas. 

On this occasion, the rescue took place off the coast of Toms River, New Jersey, and the first responders came from a base in New York. 

Earlier in the year, there was also a particularly complicated long-range airlift from Carnival Venezia – during which the US Air Force got involved. 

The impressive rescue unfolded on May 4, 2024, while the ship was in the middle of the ocean on her way back to New York from the Bahamas.

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Catie Kovelman
Catie Kovelman
Catie is an award-winning journalist and researcher. By day, she helps market new movies and TV shows as a senior research manager. But by night, she loves writing cruise news. In addition to Cruise Hive, Catie has contributed to a variety of newspapers, magazines, and other online publications, such as The Plaid Horse, Unwritten, YourTango, Fangirl Nation Magazine, Chapman Magazine, the Orange County Register, and Voice of OC.

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