Video: Astoria Coast Guard crew rescue woman after cardiac event on cruise ship

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Coast Guard crew from Astoria rescued a woman suffering from a medical emergency on a cruise ship 120 miles off the coast of Washington Tuesday evening.

According to the United States Coast Guard, at 6:00 p.m., a helicopter crew was sent to the Carnival Legend cruise ship after they received a medevac request for a 71-year-old woman who was experiencing a cardiac event.

The cruise ship was nearly 120 miles west of Grays Harbor, Washington, while traveling from Prince Rupert, British Columbia, to San Francisco.

At the same time, the Coast Guard said their teams were ready to respond to the threat of a distant tsunami due to the earthquake that happened off the coast of Russia.

“While carrying out a critical long-range medical evacuation from a cruise ship, Coast Guard Northwest District units also stood ready to respond to the threat of a distant tsunami,” said Cmdr. Neal Corbin, commanding officer of Air Station Astoria. “Their ability to answer both calls at once is a powerful testament to the Service’s unwavering dedication to saving lives and protecting the maritime community.” 

About two and a half hours after the medevac request, the helicopter crew arrived at the cruise ship and hoisted the woman onboard.

Shortly after 10:00 p.m., the crew returned to Air Station Astoria, and the woman was transferred by emergency medical services.

“Our units did a phenomenal job enacting a comprehensive response to a critical case over 120 miles offshore,” said Lt. Cmdr. Tahnee Zaccano, Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator for Coast Guard Northwest District Command Center. “The Command Center staff, Sector Columbia River Command Center personnel, and Air Station Astoria worked seamlessly with the cruise ship to provide care to the passenger in need.”