A 35-year-old crew member aboard the Carnival Sunshine required urgent medical attention and was evacuated by the US Coast Guard on April 27, 2024, during a sea day.
While the specific details of the crew member's health condition remain undisclosed, it was considered severe enough by the ship's medical team to warrant immediate hospital care.
The evacuation unfolded ~160 miles (257 km) east of Jacksonville (JAXPORT), Florida, as the Carnival Sunshine was heading towards Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida. In response, a Coast Guard helicopter met the vessel to conduct the airlift operation. Accompanied by a nurse, the crew member was safely airlifted from the ship and subsequently transported to the Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Florida, for further medical treatment.
The U.S. Coast Guard Southeast issued the following statement:
“Earlier today, a U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 helicopter crew medevaced a 35-year-old crewmember from the cruise ship Carnival Sunshine approximately 160 miles east of Jacksonville, Florida. The helicopter crew hoisted the ailing man along with the ship’s nurse and safely transported them to Home Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Florida.”
For more Carnival Sunshine incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.