Officials say a passenger on board a cruise ship 200 kilometres off the coast of Port Hardy, B.C., was airlifted to Comox for urgent medical care on Saturday. An update from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Victoria said that rescue teams flew to the cruise ship in a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and a CC-295 Kingfisher airplane in response to a call about an ill passenger. The call came in at approximately 3:51 a.m. The JRCC said crews arrived at around 7:25 a.m. and lowered two search and rescue technicians to the ship’s deck to evaluate the passenger and prepare them for transfer to the hovering helicopter. Video from the rescue shows the passenger, a travelling companion of theirs, and a cruise ship staff member were hoisted up to the helicopter, followed by the pair of rescue technicians. The JRCC said crews then flew to Comox, where the patient was transferred into the care of B.C. Emergency Health Services. BCEHS told CTV News that critical care paramedics met the helicopter in Comox at around 10:15 a.m. and provided emergency medical care to the patient. The patient was then transported to hospital via ambulance in critical condition, the BCEHS said.
