The US Coast Guard (USCG) medevaced a 23-year-old female passenger from American Constellation in Tracy Arm Fjord (Alaska), ~40 NM / ~46 mi / 74 km southeast of Juneau AK on Monday, August 1.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka arrived on the scene at 11:30 am (19:30 UTC), hoisted the woman, and transported her to awaiting EMS in Juneau.
Lt. JG Trevor Layman, Sector Juneau command duty officer said the mountainous terrain around Tracy Arm had made communicating with the cruise ship via VHF radio difficult.
“Despite that, we were able to conduct the medevac efficiently and get the patient to a higher level of medical care.”
At 10:11 am (18:11 UTC) watchstanders from the CG Sector Juneau command center received a report from the Alaska State Troopers regarding an inReach activation about the passenger who was experiencing anaphylactic shock symptoms onboard the ship.
Watchstanders diverted the Air Station Sitka helicopter crew from a training flight to the scene.
At the time of the accident, the ship was sailing on a 10-day "Southeast Alaska Cruise" roundtrip from Juneau.