PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard medevaced a 63-year-old woman Wednesday from a cruise ship about 60 miles east of Virginia Beach.Watchstanders in the Coast Guard 5th District Command Center in Portsmouth received a call from the 778-foot, Holland America Line MS Rotterdam at about 7:23 a.m., stating a woman was reportedly suffering stroke-like symptoms.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew launched to respond from Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, at approximately 8:30 a.m.
The aircrew arrived on scene at about 9 a.m. and lowered a rescue swimmer to the cruise ship.
The crew hoisted the woman to the helicopter in a rescue litter and her husband in a rescue basket.
The crew took both the woman and her husband to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, arriving at about 10:17 a.m.
"This medevac demonstrated excellent coordination among the cruise ship crew, our Coast Guard teams, and the hospital staff," said Lt. Seth Craven, Jayhawk co-pilot for the case. "We were happy to get this woman to the hospital to receive professional medical care; this is what we train for."
The cruise ship was en route from Boston to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.