A medical evacuation was conducted early Tuesday morning, November 26th, from the HAL-Holland America Line cruise ship ms Zaandam, ~50 miles (~80 km) off the coast of Oahu (Honolulu, Hawaii). The operation followed a request for assistance after the ship's doctor reported that a 32-year-old male onboard exhibited symptoms consistent with a stroke.
At the time of the initial call on Monday morning, the ms Zaandam was ~330 miles (~530 km) northeast of Oahu.
Upon consultation with a Coast Guard flight surgeon, a medevac was deemed necessary to ensure the man's prompt treatment. Early Tuesday, a coordinated rescue operation was launched by the U.S. Coast Guard, utilizing an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and a C-130 Hercules aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point. The helicopter team successfully hoisted the patient and a nurse onboard to provide medical attention during transit. The individual was transported to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, where he arrived in stable condition.
Details regarding whether the man was a passenger or crew member have not been disclosed.
The ms Zaandam, currently undertaking a 17-day round-trip voyage to Hawaii, departed San Diego (California USA) on November 20th. The vessel is expected to return to San Diego on December 7th.
For more ms Zaandam incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.