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Introduction
A medical evacuation was carried out from MSC Orchestra on the morning of December 31, 2025, after a 56-year-old Peruvian passenger suffered a cerebrovascular stroke while the ship was en route to Valencia, Spain. Italian maritime and medical authorities coordinated the response off the coast of Sardinia.
Details of the Medical Emergency
Alert and Location:
- The medical alert was logged shortly before 06:30 a.m. as the vessel transited the Gulf of Asinara.
- At the time, MSC Orchestra was approximately 50 nautical miles (90 km / 60 mi) from Porto Torres, northern Sardinia.
- The passenger was assessed onboard after displaying symptoms consistent with an acute stroke.
Medical Assessment and Coordination:
- The ship’s doctor consulted with the International Radio-Medical Center (CIRM) in Rome.
- Following the consultation, it was determined that the passenger required urgent hospital treatment ashore.
- The local Port Authority coordinated emergency procedures with the national Operations Center in Rome and the ship’s bridge.
Rescue Operation:
- The Coast Guard at Porto Torres instructed the vessel to adjust course toward a central area of the Gulf of Asinara where sea conditions were more favorable.
- A search-and-rescue patrol vessel departed and rendezvoused with the cruise ship at approximately 09:50 a.m., about 5 nautical miles offshore.
- The passenger was transferred to the rescue craft without incident.
Transfer Ashore and Aftermath:
- The operation concluded around 10:25 a.m. when the patient was landed at the Porto Torres Port Authority pier.
- She was placed in the care of Italy’s 118 emergency medical service and transported by ambulance to a hospital in Sassari for further treatment.
- Following the successful evacuation, MSC Orchestra was cleared to resume her scheduled passage to Valencia.
Operational Context:
- No other passengers or crew were reported affected during the incident.
- The coordinated response highlighted standard Italian maritime procedures for handling serious medical emergencies at sea.