On the morning of March 29, 2015, the captain of the Holland America Line cruise ship, ms Noordam came over the ship’s intercom with a request for any passenger with type O- blood to report to the medical center as there was an ill passenger in need of a blood transfusion.
About an hour later, he came back on to announce that the passenger was in need of immediate medical attention and we changed course in order to meet up with a United States Coast Guard helicopter who would medevac the passenger off the ship.
After altering course, the chopper could be heard in the distance. It made several circles around before lowering a crew member onto the aft of the Noordam, which had been cleared of furnishings and the Sea View Pool drained. It was later determined that it would be safer to move the operation to the bow of the ship, and things quickly shifted up front.
Once safely on board, the passenger was taken to the Bahamas where an awaiting air ambulance would then transport the patient to a hospital in Miami.
Here are some photos and videos I took during the operation.
