8-Year-Old Boy Medevaced from Royal Princess Ship Off Eureka, CA - 27 September 2024

On 27 September 2024, an 8-year-old boy was urgently medevaced from the Royal Princess cruise ship approximately 20 miles west of Eureka, California, after developing acute appendicitis. The U.S. Coast Guard coordinated the emergency evacuation, with an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Sector Humboldt Bay reaching the vessel by 08:00 a.m. and transporting the child and accompanying family members to Saint Joseph Hospital in Eureka, landing at approximately 09:40 a.m.

The Royal Princess was en route on a 7-day voyage from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Los Angeles, California at the time of the medical emergency. The ship's itinerary was minimally disrupted by the evacuation.

The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early in the morning to the boy's acute appendicitis condition. Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay coordinated the response and dispatched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, which reached the cruise ship by 08:00 a.m. The boy and his accompanying family members were hoisted aboard the helicopter and flown directly to Saint Joseph Hospital in Eureka, where they landed at approximately 09:40 a.m. for immediate medical treatment.

Fatalities

• None reported.

Injuries

• 1 child (8 years old) with acute appendicitis requiring emergency medical evacuation.

Rescued

• The 8-year-old boy and accompanying family members were safely transferred to the helicopter and transported to Saint Joseph Hospital.

The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay coordinated the medical evacuation upon receiving the distress call from the Royal Princess. An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter was dispatched and reached the vessel by 08:00 a.m., successfully hoisting the patient and family members aboard and transporting them to Saint Joseph Hospital in Eureka for emergency medical care.