A passenger onboard a Disney cruise ship had to be airlifted by helicopter from the Coast Guard while the ship was at sea, revealed in dramatic footage.
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US Coast Guard Rescues Passenger
On Thursday, the US Coast Guard released footage of a rescue helicopter approaching a Disney cruise ship, deploying a team to greet and load the passenger. The 35-year-old female was pregnant and faced complications at sea. Disney medical personnel felt it necessary to evacuate the passenger while the ship was 180 miles from Puerto Rico.
The passenger was transported by Disney cruise line staff to the ship’s bow on a stretcher. Coast Guard members then loaded the passenger which was taken to the US territory for care. The situation that necessitated the evacuation was not disclosed however, at an average speed of 20 knots, it would have taken just under eight hours to reach Puerto Rico and it must have been critical to the extent it could notwait that long.
Do Cruise Ships Have Doctors? What Necessitates Evacuation
Almost every major cruise ship will operate with a doctor onboard and a medical bay. Due to the nature of journeys on the ocean and often far away from land, large cruise ship medical staff (doctors and nurses) have to be equipped for almost any emergency medical care. They operate 24 hours every single day, and have a variety of equipment including X-ray machines. The medical center’s facilities will be limited in nature, they aren’t intended for surgeries outside of medical triage. Those that visit the medical facility onboard usually don’t have to worry about health insurance for minor issues, and most are limited to seasickness and flesh wounds.
Anything life threatening may require evacuation. While medical staff will stabilize a passenger, they won’t perform anything substantial leaving that work to hospitals with more equipment, staff, and resources.
Medical evacuation can be extremely expensive. A private medical flight with trained staff and specialized equipment could approach $100,000 for a three hour flight. Depending on the region and availability costs can escalate from there, decisions to medically evacuate a passenger are only in the most dire circumstances.
In the case of this traveler, the pregnant 35-year-old was likely facing a complication that did not include delivering the baby but still needed greater medical attention immediately. Cruise lines generally restrict pregnant women from sailing beyond their 24th week of pregnancy. Carnival cruise lines, and Royal Caribbean have the same policy (as due their owned brands) but some may require a doctor’s note stating the due date and fitness for travel – even if they are not approaching their 24th week onboard.
Conclusion
The US Coast Guard performed a medical evacuation by helicopter of a pregnant passenger 180 miles northwest of Puerto Rico from a Disney cruise ship. While evacuations are rare and not always performed by the Coast Guard, the situation as determined by medical staff onboard necessitated such actions. I hope the mother, baby, and family are all doing ok.
What do you think?
Don’t know the details of the emergency but I would never let my wife if pregnant go on a cruise or even on an international trip. You never know when medical care may be needed and it is better to stay close to home. You have the entire life to travel, no need to in those weeks.
@Santasico … +1 . Also , what could go Wrong with a helicopter gurney lift ? Gurney spin out of control ?
Pregnant at 35 is an “advanced age” pregnancy ( they used to call it geriatric ) so more precautions are factored in. Best to the mother and family, and may she return to good health.
I contracted a strep infection on a cruise, went to the onboard clinic and was treated in minutes (no charge). A very good thing considering how many passengers has becn infected.
Matthew and Kyle,
I’m a big fan and I appreciate all that you both contribute to the knowledge base of travel and loyalty programs. I also have a basic understanding of “authors pride” and as such I’m hesitant to criticize minor errors and differences of opinion. But as a retired ER doctor and US Navy Flight Surgeon who also worked ~16 short (1-2 weeks) part-time contracts as Ship’s Physician for Carnival Cruise Lines I find this post to be so confusing and inaccurate that it demands comment.
SUGGESTED EDIT: Almost every major cruise ship will operate with 1-3 doctors onboard and a medical “CENTER”. Due to the nature of journeys on the SEA OR ocean and often far away from land, large cruise ship medical staff (doctors and nurses) have to be equipped for almost any emergency medical care. They operate (NOT OPERATE IN THE SURGICAL SENSE OF THE WORD) 24 hours (SOMETIMES ON CALL) every single day and have a variety of equipment including X-ray machines. The medical center’s facilities will be limited in nature, they aren’t intended for surgery OF ANY SORT OTHER THAN STITCHES FOR A CUT OR LANCING A BOIL, DEFINITELY NOT INTENDED FOR MATERNITY CARE OF ANY KIND. Those that visit the medical facility onboard usually don’t have to worry about health insurance for minor issues (MANY CRUISE SHIPS CHARGE A FLAT RATE TO SEE A DCOTOR OR NURSE OR FOR MEDICATION). SEASICKNESS IS AN UNCOMMON REASON TO SEE THE SHIP’S PHYSICIAN, MOST PEOPLE TREAT IT THEMSELVES.
Anything life threatening may require evacuation. While medical staff will stabilize a passenger, they won’t perform anything substantial leaving that work to hospitals with more equipment, staff, and resources.
Medical evacuation FROM LAND can be extremely expensive. A private medical flight with trained staff and specialized equipment could approach $100,000 for a three hour flight. Depending on the region and availability OF MEDICAL CARE AND EVACUATION FLIGHTS, costs can escalate from there, decisions to medically evacuate a passenger are USUALLY only in the most dire circumstances ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES THE PATIENT OR FAMILY MAY REQUEST OR DEMAND EVACUATION WHEN IT IS NOT MEDICALLY INDICATED.
In the case of this traveler, the pregnant 35-year-old was likely facing a complication that needed greater medical attention immediately. (“did not include delivering the baby but still” IS VERY CONFUSING AND UNNECESSARY. THE NUMBER OF EMERGENCIES THAT REQUIRE IMMDIATE DELIVERY IS SMALL AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF SHIP’S PHYSICIANS (present company included) DO NOT HAVE THE TRAINING OR EXPERIENCE OR SPECIALIZATION TO MAKE THAT DIAGNOSIS.)
RECOMMENDED ADDITION: Note that in this video there are at least TWO helicopters involved (one doing the hoist, one doing the filming) not uncommon when operating over open water primarily in case of a problem with one helicopter. Helicopter hoist truly is a last resort, it’s dangerous for crew and patient, hovering a helicopter is not as easy as it looks, usually cannot be done by autopilot, it involves prolonged time when the patient cannot receive any medical care. The number of patients who require “immediate emergency” evacuation fortunately is small, the majority of medical evacuations from cruise ships, particularly when relatively close to port, are accomplished by a Coast Guard (or other) “fast boat” pulling alongside the cruise ship for passenger transfer and delivery to shore. Sometimes a cruise ship will speed up or slow down/stop in order to minimize time to meet a fast boat.
By far the most common reason cruise ship pax come to the medical center is because “I forgot my medicine”. Cruise ships and some cruise ship ports have limited pharmacies and the doctor doesn’t want spend a lot of time determining equivalent medication and dosages. Cruise ship doctors are usually not trained in the chronic management of insulin dependent diabetes (beyond common emergencies).
The most helpful comment for this post is WHEN TRAVELING, DO NOT FORGET YOUR MEDICATIONS, ESPECIALLY INSULIN, ESPECIALLY ON A CRUISE SHIP.
Who filmed the rescue? That’s what I wanna know