Photo: USCG
With all the bad press Carnival has been receiving lately, we figured they could use some good PR for once.
Over the weekend Carnival Cruise’s Carnival Breeze assisted the U.S. Coast Guard in rescuing two people from a sailboat 15 miles east of Elliot Key, FL.
The Coast Guard says they received a report on Sunday that a 28-foot sailboat with two people aboard needed assistance, with one suffering heart problems and the other seasick due to inclement weather. Coast Guard Sector Miami watchstanders launched both an MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew and a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew to respond.
Upon arriving on scene, the helicopter crew lowered a rescue swimmer into the water. The swimmer made his way to the sailboat, assessed the condition of the people aboard, and determined a medevac was necessary. Unfortunately with five-foot swells, the rescue swimmer deemed it unsafe to put the people in the water for a basket hoist.
Instead, the Coast Guard decided to divert the Cruise Ship Carnival Breeze, which was approximately five-miles away, to provide a more stable platform to conduct a hoist. The cruise ship arrived on scene and waited for the RB-M to transport the two people to them. Once aboard the cruise ship, the Coast Guard helicopter then hoisted the woman with the heart condition and the other patient stayed aboard the cruise ship where he received medical care.
“This medevac exemplifies the great working relationship the Coast Guard has with both the commercial assistance providers and the cruise ship industry,” said Capt. Chris Scraba, Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Sector Miami. “Often times weather increases the level of danger and in this specific case, the cruise ship Carnival Breeze greatly facilitated in quickly getting the patient ashore to a medical facility in the safest manner possible.”
The Coast Guard says the woman was taken to Ryder Trauma Center where she was later released in stable condition.
See, it’s not all doom and gloom around here after all…
Unlock Exclusive Insights Today!
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.