RACQ CQ Rescue braced against windy conditions to winch an ill American passenger from an RSSC-Regent Seven Seas cruise ship south of Mackay.
The winch retrieval of the 70-year-old Florida patient, from the deck of the vessel, was made more difficult due to rough seas and gusty 20-30 knot winds.
The helicopter rescue group had been tasked to the mission after 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 19, and flew to meet the large ship about 170 km north of Rockhampton (Queensland, Australia) with a Critical Care Paramedic and a doctor onboard.
The passenger was sailing onboard Seven Seas Mariner which departed from Sydney NSW on December 15 for a 16-night itinerary headed to Bali.
The man is believed to have taken ill overnight with cardiac condition. Seven Seas Mariner was due to dock at Airlie Beach today, December 19, with over 600 passengers onboard.
The patient was in a stable condition at the time he was flown to Mackay Airport, at about 2:30 p.m., where ambulance crews took him and he was transferred to Mackay Base Hospital.
For other Seven Seas Mariner accidents and incidents see at the ship's CruiseMinus page.