VASCO
In a swift operation on Thursday, the Coast Guard undertook a medical evacuation of a British national from the cruise ship Queen Mary 2 off the Goa coast, which was en route from Kochi to Abu Dhabi.
According to Coast Guard officials, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Mumbai received a message from M/s Carnival Maritime Hamburg-Germany at about 5 pm on Thursday, stating that a 67-year-old British passenger had suffered a heart attack and required immediate medical evacuation.
The Coast Guard operation team at Goa planned the medical evacuation and the local agent in Goa was contacted for further details, while the vessel was directed to come off Goa.
A Coast Guard ship ICGS Amal on patrol was diverted to render assistance and the ICGS C-158 was sailed with dispatch for medical evaluation.
The Coast Guard ship intercepted the passenger vessel at about 9 pm and the patient was successfully evacuated. Subsequently, the patient was handed over to the local agent for further medical management.
It may be recalled that the cruise ship Queen Mary 2 had stopped at the Mormugao Port on February 4, during its first leg of the cruise from Dubai to Singapore.
