USCG medevacs cruise ship passenger off the coast of Hawaii

Coast Guard photo, courtesy of Air Station Barbers Point

The United States Coast Guard successfully rescued a 72-year-old passenger from Holland America Line’s Koningsdam on Thursday following a medical emergency that occurred 300 miles off the coast of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The passenger had suffered multiple strokes on Wednesday afternoon while the ship was en route, prompting a rapid response from Coast Guard personnel.

Koninsdam tracked via ShipXplorer.com

In response to the emergency, the Coast Guard dispatched an HC-130 Hercules airplane and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Barbers Point. The aircraft met the Koningsdam approximately 57 miles south of Honolulu, where the helicopter crew performed a hoisting operation to extract the patient from the ship.

The passenger was then flown to Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, where he is currently in stable condition.

“By combining the skills of our crews and the specialized capabilities of our aircraft, we are able to respond to emergencies across the vast Pacific region,” said Lt. Cmdr. John Stockton, HC-130 Hercules aircraft commander at Air Station Barbers Point. “Teamwork is critically important for medevacs, which are among the most time-sensitive and high-stakes missions we take on.”

This successful operation underscores the Coast Guard’s ability to conduct complex rescues in the vast Pacific Ocean; it also highlights the importance of coordination and quick response in life-saving situations.