Coast Guard medevacs cruise ship passenger offshore of Oʻahu 

The Coast Guard and Navy medevaced an ailing cruise ship passenger 58 miles offshore of Oʻahu, Thursday. 

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point hoisted a 78-year-old man and brought him safely to Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu.  

The man was in stable condition at last report. 

An MH-60 Seahawk helicopter crew from Navy Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37 provided communications and aerial overwatch for the Coast Guard crew during the medevac. 

“This successful outcome is a direct result of the professionalism and close inter agency cooperation we share with our partners,” said Lt. Taylor Gibbons, command duty officer, Coast Guard Oceania District. “Distance offshore and nighttime conditions complicate a hoist, but the US Navy helped us minimize that risk and safely complete our mission.” 

Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu watchstanders received a notification at 3:19 p.m. Wednesday from a crew member of the Celebrity Solstice, a Malta-flagged cruise ship, requesting a medevac for a passenger experiencing a serious medical condition aboard the vessel, which was 276 miles southwest of Oʻahu. 

After conferring with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac, watchstanders established regular communications with the vessel’s crew to monitor the patient’s status as the Celebrity Solstice proceeded toward Oʻahu.