Video captured the US Coast Guard airlifting an 8-year-old boy with appendicitis from a cruise ship in the waters off of California.
The footage released by the United States Coast Guard captures an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter hovering above the Royal Princess on Tuesday. A crew member is then hoisted down to the deck to retrieve the ailing boy.
The #CoastGuard medevacs 8-year-old boy from cruise ship near Eureka, #California … https://t.co/vPXhC7C7Lo pic.twitter.com/qFCwt8Oscj
— DVIDSHub (@DVIDSHub) September 25, 2024
According to authorities, the ocean liner was located 20 miles off the coast of Eureka, California, when the Coast Guard received a call regarding the boy’s medical emergency around 7 a.m.
The dramatic footage captures a rescue swimmer descending from a helicopter onto the deck of a cruise ship. He is surrounded by towering waves crashing all around.
The Footage Shows the Coast Guard Rescue Both the Boy and His Mother
Once the rescuer reaches the deck, a basket is lowered from the helicopter to transport the ailing child safely.
The footage shows the Cost Guard retrieving the boy—dressed in a white sweatshirt with a yellow hood.
Meanwhile, the rescue swimmer is lowered back down to the cruise ship and brings up the sick child’s mother, too.
The boy was subsequently taken to Saint Joseph Hospital in Eureka. He was handed over to emergency medical services around 9:40 a.m. The identities of the young patient and his family members have not been publicly revealed.
Of course, appendicitis is not very common in children under 10. It mostly affects teenagers and those in their 20s. However, it is still the most common emergency surgery for kids. If not treated quickly, it can lead to the appendix bursting, which can have serious consequences. Thankfully, most children recover fully without any lasting side effects.