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(Tribune News Service) — Coast Guard helicopter crews based in San Diego rescued four passengers suffering serious medical conditions from three different cruise ships within a 24-hour period, starting Friday night.

Coast Guard officials said they received a call at 7:10 p.m. from the captain of the cruise ship Carnival Panomara reporting that a 47-year-old woman was “suffering a progressive acute illness.”

An MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew from Coast Guard Sector San Diego met the ship about 100 miles south of San Diego and hoisted the woman from the deck. She was then transported to Scripps Memorial Hospital in serious condition, the Coast Guard said.

About 10 a.m. Saturday, a Jayhawk helicopter was dispatched to pick up two female passengers from the cruise ship Majestic Princess.

Meeting the ship about 150 miles southwest of Point Conception off the coast of Santa Barbara County, the aircrew hoisted a 74-year-old woman reportedly suffering stroke-like symptoms, the Coast Guard said, and a 77-year-old woman reportedly suffering kidney failure. Both women were also taken to Scripps Memorial.

And at 12:20 p.m. Saturday, the same helicopter was sent to the Carnival Spirit cruise ship, located 86 miles west of San Clemente Island, to hoist an 84-year-old woman reportedly suffering stroke-related symptoms off the ship, officials said. The woman was taken to emergency medical services at Coast Guard Sector San Diego. No details on her condition were disclosed.

Coast Guard officials said the rescue air crews recorded 7.2 hours of flight time to conduct the three medical evacuations.

©2023 The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Visit sandiegouniontribune.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

A Coast Guard Air Station San Diego air crew takes off in an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter at Coast Guard Sector San Diego, April 12, 2023. 

A Coast Guard Air Station San Diego air crew takes off in an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter at Coast Guard Sector San Diego, April 12, 2023.  (Matthew West/U.S. Coast Guard)

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