Coast Guard evacuates pregnant passenger with health issues from Disney cruise ship

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (WISH) — A Coast Guard medical helicopter this week evacuated a 35-year-old pregnant woman from the Disney Fantasy cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

The woman, who was not identified in a news release from the Coast Guard, “experienced health complications and required a higher level of medical care than was available on the cruise ship.”

A Coast Guard helicopter arrived at the ship, and dropped a rescue swimmer aboard. The swimmer prepared a rescue basket and litter to safely hoist the patient and the cruise ship doctor aboard the helicopter, the release says.

The Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk safely took her to the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The release issued Tuesday did not provide any information on her condition.

Ensign Michael Riccio, Coast Guard Sector San Juan operations unit leader for the case, said in a statement, “We are glad everything came together to help this passenger. The competency displayed by the Disney Fantasy crew and the Coast Guard personnel and units involved made all the difference.”