The Chilean navy has carried out an evacuation from a Viking Cruises ship off the country's coast after a female passenger suffered a head injury.
In a statement on Sunday, February 10, the Armada de Chile identified the passenger as the 66-year-old U.S. citizen Sheila Eaton, who had suffered a "head injury and deep cut" onboard Viking Sun located off Chile's Santa Maria island.
Eaton was treated by paramedics onboard and remained conscious despite her injuries. Naval ships were then called to transport her to the mainland for emergency treatment.
According to the navy, "the emergency transport operation was hampered by high winds."
11 sailors participated in the rescue, and the maneuver "was not exempt from complications, mainly due to the wind conditions in the area."
After around 90 minutes and several attempts, they were able to carry out the evacuation of the woman onboard, together with a cruise ship doctor and her husband. The patient was disembarked on Coronel Bay with the support of Captaincy of Puerto de Coronel and then transferred to a hospital.
At the time of the accident, Viking Sun was on a round-the-world cruise from Miami FL to Tilbury UK which started on January 3.
The ship made her first stopover in Chile (Punta Arenas) on February 3. After making her way up the Chilean coast, Viking Sun will continue her tour to Juan Fernandez and Rapa Nui archipelago before reaching Polynesia.
For other Viking Sun accidents and incidents see at the ship's CruiseMinus page.